During a hearing regarding the transfer of cases from Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court, Chief Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan of the Lahore High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of judge appointments. He asserted that had judges been appointed in accordance with the law, such issues would not arise.
Chief Justice Khan questioned the legality of demands from the government regarding the provision of judges’ names, emphasizing that cooperation with the judiciary is essential and illegal requests should not be made.
Government committee members, including Marriyum Aurangzeb and Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, along with Punjab Law Minister Soheb Ahmed, were present in court. The public prosecutor informed the court about government efforts to appoint judges in various courts, citing letters written to the registrar for appointments in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Faisalabad.
Marriyum Aurangzeb highlighted the government’s commitment to transparent appointments and offered cooperation in forming panels for judge appointments.
Chief Justice Khan reiterated the importance of adhering to legal procedures in judge appointments, underscoring that following the law would prevent complications.
He emphasized the government’s responsibility to appoint judges and inquired about the timeline for appointing judges to anti-terrorism courts. The law minister assured a decision within seven days.
The court was presented with the procedure and laws governing judge appointments. Chief Justice Khan reaffirmed the court’s respect for all institutions, particularly the parliament.
Litigants appealed for prompt judge appointments to expedite case resolutions. The court directed the government to appoint judges within three weeks and requested a progress report from the committee by Monday.
