ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law has issued notifications confirming the appointment of six permanent judges to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
According to reports, Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar, Justice Shakeel Ahmad, and Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui have been appointed to the apex court, with their official notifications now issued. Additionally, Justice Salahuddin and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim have also been elevated to the Supreme Court.
The ministry has also issued a notification appointing Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb as the Acting Judge of the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, approved the appointment of these six judges. The nominees include Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Aamer Farooq, Chief Justice Sindh High Court Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, and Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Ishtiaq Ibrahim. The commission also approved the elevation of Justice Salahuddin Panhwar from the Sindh High Court.
“The commission, by the majority of its total membership, nominated the judges for their appointment to the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” the JCP stated. Additionally, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb was nominated as the Acting Judge of the Supreme Court.
Last week, four Supreme Court judges—Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Athar Minallah—wrote a letter to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, urging him to delay new appointments until a decision is reached on the 26th Amendment case.
The judges warned that the new appointments could lead to controversy and undermine the court’s legitimacy. They expressed concerns that the appointments might be seen as “court packing” and could influence the outcome of the 26th Amendment case. Additionally, they pointed out that the Islamabad High Court’s seniority list had been altered without the judges taking the oath, which they emphasized is a mandatory requirement.
