Three high court judges were elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan after President Asif Ali Zardari approved their appointments. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to the newly appointed judges at a ceremony held at the apex court in Islamabad.
The judges sworn in include:
- Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, who served as the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
- Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, who was the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court (SHC).
- Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, a judge at the Lahore High Court.
Their appointments were officially sanctioned by the president under Article 177 of the Constitution, as per an announcement by the Law Ministry on Monday. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), chaired by Chief Justice Isa, had recommended their elevations with a majority vote earlier in the month.
Notably, the decision by the JCP to recommend these appointments was reached by a narrow 5-4 majority after thorough deliberations. The commission consists of nine members, with differing opinions from its members highlighting the significant scrutiny and discussion involved in judicial appointments at the highest level in Pakistan.
These appointments fill vacancies created by the retirement of former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and the resignations of Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi. With these additions, the Supreme Court of Pakistan now has a full bench of 17 judges, reaffirming its role as the apex judicial authority in the country.
