ISLAMABAD - The Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Saturday, due to the non-appearance of Attorney General of Pakistan Irfan Qadir, Law Minister Farooq H Naek and Bar Council representative, adjourned its proceedings until January 26. The JCP’s meeting could not take up its agenda due to the boycott of several representatives of the commission, sources said.
Deadlock between JCP and the PBC is still continuing as all the bars, including provincial bar councils, have refused to send their representatives in the commission’s meeting until their reservations regarding the appointment of superior courts judges have been addressed.
It has been learnt that a three-member committee, headed by PBC Vice Chairman Akhtar Hussain on Friday held an important meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to apprise him about the bars’ reservations about the JCP’s proceedings.
The sources said that the outcome of that meeting would be shared in the PBC’s executive body meeting on January 22. They also said that the PBC’s committee was informed that the CJP initiate the name for superior courts judges in view of the Supreme Court’s short order in the 18th Amendment case, therefore the bar council’s demand could not be accepted in this regard until the court review its short order.
The sources also stated that the bar might reconsider its other demands about the abolishment of the JCP’s in-camera proceedings as well as sharing the minutes of the commission’s meetings.
Likewise, one PBC executive member said that if the JCP ensured the PBC that effective consultation would be made with it in initial stage of the nomination of judges then bar council could withdraw its demand regarding the amendment in JCP’s rules.
Ramzan Chaudhry, PBC executive member, said that he would express his stance on this matter after getting briefing by the three-member committee on January 22.