The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has approved the appointment of 10 additional judges to the Peshawar High Court (PHC), a decision that has stirred debate amid ongoing discussions about judicial appointments across Pakistan.
The JCP meeting, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, initially reviewed 40 candidates for nine vacant seats in the PHC.
However, after extensive deliberations, the commission approved 10 nominees, following strong recommendations from Chief Justice of PHC, Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, who advocated for an additional appointment.
The newly appointed judges include District and Sessions Judges Farah Jamshed and Inamullah, as well as Qazi Jawad, Mudassar Amir, Abdul Fayaz, Salahuddin, Sadiq Ali, Tariq Afridi, Sabit Ali, and Aurangzeb Khan.
The approval process faced opposition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) representatives, including Barrister Gohar, Ali Zafar, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Law Minister.
Despite their objections, the commission finalized the appointments through a majority vote.
This decision follows a growing debate over judicial appointment procedures and transparency. A day earlier, judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had expressed concerns over the potential appointment of a judge from another high court as Chief Justice of the IHC.
In a formal letter to the President of Pakistan and the Chief Justice, they urged that the selection be limited to the three most senior IHC judges, warning that external appointments could undermine judicial independence and established principles.
Judicial sources confirm that copies of the letter have been circulated to the Chief Justices of the Lahore, Sindh, and Islamabad High Courts, raising broader concerns about the criteria for judicial appointments and the future direction of Pakistan’s legal system.
