JCP defers elevation of two BHC judges
• Constitutional issue raised over Balochistan bar representative’s nomination
• SJC reviews complaints against IHC judges; ECP references placed on record
ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Wednesday postponed consideration of appointing two additional judges to the Balochistan High Court (BHC) from the provincial district judiciary.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, deferred the matter due to a constitutional question surrounding the nomination of the Balochistan Bar Council’s representative in the commission. Members emphasised the need for thorough deliberation before moving ahead.
Six serving district and sessions judges — Jan Muhammad Gohar, Pazir Ahmed Baloch, Allah Dad Roshan, Abdul Qayyum Lehri, Inayatullah Khan and Rehmat Ullah — were under consideration for elevation to the BHC.
A day earlier, the vice chairman of the Balochistan Bar Council, Jadain Dashti, had requested the commission to delay its meeting until clear rules and procedures are finalised regarding the removal or replacement of commission members who have lost the confidence of their nominating authorities.
In a two-page letter, he stated that the legal community in Balochistan had expressed serious concerns and lost confidence in the bar’s current representative due to allegations about his conduct and integrity. The situation, the letter argued, had caused dissatisfaction within the province’s legal fraternity and undermined trust in the nomination process.
The letter warned that proceeding without finalised rules could create ambiguity and institutional complications. It urged the commission to defer substantive proceedings until a transparent and undisputed legal framework is formally notified.
Separately, the CJP also chaired a JCP meeting to discuss a proposed framework for rules governing interviews of candidates seeking judicial appointments. After initial discussion, the commission decided to postpone the matter to allow members more time for detailed consideration.
SJC reviews complaints
In a separate development, Chief Justice Afridi presided over a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which examined 59 complaints filed under Article 209 of the Constitution.
Among them were references concerning Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justices Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Saman Rafat Imtiaz. According to sources, the complaint against Justice Khan related to the announcement of a judgement nearly three years after it had been reserved.
A reference against former IHC judge Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri was placed on record as infructuous since he has already been removed from office.
Sources said IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar recused himself from proceedings involving judges of his court. Peshawar High Court Chief Justice S M Atiq Shah participated in those matters instead.
The SJC also reviewed references against the chief election commissioner and other members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), placing them on record.
According to an official statement, 50 of the 59 complaints were disposed of, six were deferred, and three were ordered to proceed further in accordance with the law. The council also unanimously decided to delay finalisation of draft rules on the judicial code of conduct until its next meeting.