Today at 4 PM, the newly formed Special Parliamentary Committee (SPC) will convene to nominate the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) from the three highest-ranking judges of the Supreme Court. Current CJP Qazi Faez Isa will retire on October 25, and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah was previously in line for the position based on seniority.
However, the recent 26th Constitutional Amendment has altered the appointment process for the CJP. Now, the president will appoint the top judge based on the SPC’s recommendation, rather than simply choosing the most senior judge. Alongside Justice Shah, the other senior judges are Justices Munib Akhtar and Yahya Afridi.
The SPC, established yesterday by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, consists of eight members from the National Assembly and four senators, representing various political parties according to their parliamentary strength. Members include PML-N’s Khawaja Asif, PPP’s Raja Pervez Ashraf, and several others from PTI and other parties.
Despite its formation, the PTI has decided to boycott the meeting, citing concerns over the legality of the amendment process. PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari questioned why they should support a committee he believes undermines judicial independence.
Following the amendment, the committee will forward its nominee to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who will then send it to President Asif Ali Zardari for approval.
The Karachi Bar Association has expressed discontent over the rushed and non-transparent manner in which the 26th Amendment was approved, rejecting the decision to overlook Justice Shah for the CJP position. Legal leaders have pledged to protest against the changes akin to similar movements from 2007.
On a separate note, the PTI has issued show-cause notices to party lawmakers who allegedly violated directives during the amendment voting. The party plans legal action against those who did not follow instructions, underscoring the importance of unity within its ranks.