The Senate of Pakistan has reconstituted a parliamentary committee to appoint judges following consultations with opposition leaders of the Senate and National Assembly.
A Senate Secretariat notification confirmed the appointment of Farooq H. Naek, Anushay Rehman, and Mohsin Aziz as new members of this crucial committee. They join existing members Hamid Khan, Khawaja Asif, and Shazia Marri.
Additionally, representatives from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed Sunni Ittehad Council, Sardar Latif Khosa, and Ali Muhammad Khan have also been included in the committee.
This committee reviews the Supreme Judicial Council’s recommendations for top judicial appointments.
On the same day, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar proposed the extension of the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa. In a public statement, Tarar revealed that various proposals concerning the Chief Justice’s tenure are under consideration. He expressed an openness to these suggestions, indicating a potential shift in policy.
However, Tarar criticized the current function of the parliamentary committee in judicial appointments. He labelled it a ‘rubber stamp,’ implying its diminished influence post the 19th constitutional amendment. He reminisced about the balance achieved in judicial appointments with the 18th constitutional amendment, suggesting a preference for those mechanisms.
