The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is scheduled to meet today to review nominations for judges to constitutional benches. This follows last month’s approval of the 26th Amendment by parliament, despite resistance from the PTI, the major opposition party.
After receiving the parliamentary nominations from National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi convened the meeting, which was set for 2 p.m.
The amendment allows for the creation of constitutional benches in the Supreme Court to handle cases that require constitutional interpretation.
Today’s agenda for the JCP includes discussing nominations for these benches and the potential establishment of a JCP secretariat.
The meeting will include senior puisne judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, MNA Omar Ayub, Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, and a representative from the Pakistan Bar Council, Akhtar Hussain.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the constitutional amendment. Advocate Imran Shafeeq requested that the amendment be declared inconsistent, arguing that it could undermine judicial independence.
