ISLAMABAD – Four Supreme Court judges called for the postponement of the Judicial Commission meeting amid constitutional debate over the 26th Amendment.
The country’s top court saw major development, as four Supreme Court justices penned a letter to Chief Justice, seeking the postponement of the Judicial Commission meeting scheduled for February 10th.
Justices Mansoor Ali Shah, Munib Akhtar, Ayesha Malik, and Athar Minallah were among those who wanted to stop judicial appointments amid ongoing 26th Amendment case. The judges argue that appointing new judges before the resolution of the 26th Amendment case could lead to conflicts, particularly regarding the composition of a full court hearing.
The senior members also raised concerns about the recent transfer of three judges from the Islamabad High Court, pointing out that these judges should have been re-sworn into office at the Islamabad High Court according to the constitution. The justices asserted that altering the seniority list at the Islamabad High Court without a proper swearing-in procedure casts doubt on the legality of these judges’ positions.
The letter raised fears that proceeding with judicial appointments under the current circumstances could be perceived as court-packing, casting doubt on the motivations behind such actions.
The justices requested that judicial appointments be delayed until 26th Amendment case reaches resolution. They also call for a full court hearing on the matter and suggest postponing the appointments until the finalization of the seniority list for Islamabad High Court judges.
The letter also sparked significant attention, raising questions about the independence and integrity of the judicial process in Pakistan during a period of legal and constitutional scrutiny.
PTI challenges 26th Constitutional Amendment in Supreme Court
