ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court senior advocate Akhtar Hussain has resigned from his position as a member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), citing ongoing controversies regarding judicial appointments as the primary reason.
In his resignation letter submitted to JCP Chairman Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, Hussain expressed concerns over the contentious nature of the judicial appointment process. He stated, “The Pakistan Bar Council unanimously nominated me thrice as a member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan… However, due to the current controversies surrounding judicial appointments, I am unable to continue and hereby resign as a member of the JCP.”
Hussain, who was nominated three times by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), also conveyed his gratitude to the commission members and reaffirmed his support for the development and independence of judicial and democratic institutions. “I pay regards to all the Hon’ble members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and assure you that I will continue to make all efforts for the development and independence of judicial and democratic institutions.”
He also thanked the Pakistan Bar Council for its trust in him and requested that they make a new nomination as per constitutional requirements.
Hussain’s resignation follows recent tensions within the JCP over the appointment of new judges to the Supreme Court, which led to a boycott by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and two senior Supreme Court judges. The commission had recently sought nominations for judges from high courts and made several contentious appointments.
The JCP, responsible for judicial appointments to the Supreme Court, high courts, and the Federal Shariat Court, was reconstituted following the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which brought significant changes to the judiciary.
Notably, earlier this month, opposition leader Omar Ayub also resigned from his position as a JCP member, adding to the turmoil surrounding judicial appointments.
