ISLAMABAD: Newly-appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has restructured the judges’ committee established under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, reinstating Justice Munib Akhtar to the panel by exercising his authority under the amended legislation.
The three-member committee, responsible for fixing cases and forming benches, comprises the CJP and two of the Supreme Court’s senior-most judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar.
Justice Afridi was sworn in as the 30th Chief Justice of Pakistan on Saturday, with President Asif Ali Zardari administering the oath during a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. The event was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, service chiefs, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, governors, chief ministers, ministers, judges from the Supreme Court and high courts, former chief justices, legal officers, lawyers’ organization representatives, and media personnel.
In attendance were Supreme Court judges, including Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Shahid Bilal, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Irfan Saadat, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Justice Aisha Malik, former CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, along with various parliamentarians.
Justice Yahya Afridi was nominated as the next CJP by a special parliamentary committee from among the three senior-most Supreme Court judges under the newly adopted 26th Constitutional Amendment. The Prime Minister forwarded the summary regarding this appointment to the President, who approved Justice Afridi’s elevation to the position of CJP.
With this new role, Justice Afridi also assumes the chairmanship of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a constitutional body responsible for the accountability of judges in superior courts. Other members of the council will include senior Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, and the chief justices of high courts.
Upon taking office, Justice Afridi was honored with a guard of honor at the Supreme Court. Following his appointment, he issued his first administrative order, reconstituting the committee established under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 and bringing Justice Munib Akhtar back onto the committee. SC Registrar Jazeela Aslam issued a notification confirming the committee’s reconstitution.
The notification stated: “In supersession of this Court’s Office Order of even number dated September 20, 2024, and in exercise of powers under Section 2(1) of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, as amended by Ordinance No. VIII of 2024, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been pleased to reconstitute the requisite committee.” The newly constituted committee includes CJP Justice Yahya Afridi, along with senior-most judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar.
Previously, outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa appointed Justice Aminuddin Khan to the judges’ committee, replacing Justice Munib Akhtar, utilizing his powers under the amended law.
On September 23, Senior Puisne Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah expressed concerns regarding Justice Munib’s exclusion from the committee, questioning the constitutional validity of the new ordinance that amended the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, which oversees the operations of the apex court, including bench formation.
In related news, CJP Yahya Afridi has scheduled a full court meeting for Monday, October 28, along with a gathering of administrative judges of anti-terrorism courts, requesting progress reports by November 7 at the Supreme Court.
Additionally, a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council has been arranged for November 8, with notifications posted on the apex court’s official website. However, details regarding which complaints or references will be addressed by the council remain undisclosed.
CJP Yahya Afridi has also decided to introduce livestreaming services in all Supreme Court courtrooms, assigning this task to Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar. This service will be contingent upon the consent of petitioners.
Previously, livestreaming was only available in courtroom No. 1. This enhancement will enable overseas Pakistani litigants to access livestreamed court proceedings. A committee has been formed to propose the purchase of cameras to be installed in all courts for livestreaming purposes.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s website has been updated, replacing former CJP Qazi Faez Isa’s name with that of Justice Yahya Afridi.
