ISLAMABAD - The Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Saturday deferred the issue of confirmation/appointment of additional judges of the Lahore High Court and the High Court of Balochistan till April 23. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry presided over the meeting of the Commission, which deferred the consideration of the issue apparently till composition of the Commission was completed as newly nominated Minister for Law and Justice Maula Baksh Chandio had to take oath of the office. The Judicial Commission has been functional to make appointments to superior judiciary under the 18th Amendment. Maula Baksh Chandio has been nominated as the Law Minister after the resignation of Babar Awan for representing the federation in the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto reference. Chandio told newsmen at the Supreme Court building that he could not attend the meeting because he had not taken the oath. Another report said although Chandio made an informal participation in the meeting, but he left early as he was yet to be sworn in as Law Minister. The commission was due to give its decision regarding appointment of new judges and confirmation of ad-hoc judges. Other members of the Commission are Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice Nasirul Mulk ,senior judges of the apex Court, Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq, Pakistan Bar Council member Dr Khalid Ranjha and Justice (retd) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry besides high court chief justices, including Chief Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court (LHC), Chief Justice Sindh High Court Mushir Alam, Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.