IHC pauses decision on plea over judge appointment delay
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a plea challenging President Asif Ali Zardari’s delay in approving a summary for the appointment and confirmation of judges to various high
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The Islamabad High Court on Thursday reserved its ruling on whether it can hear a petition challenging President Asif Ali Zardari’s delay in approving a summary linked to judicial appointments in several high courts, Dawn reported.
The writ petition was filed by advocate Luqman Zafar Chaudhary through counsel Zahid Asif Chaudhry on Wednesday. It asks the court to direct the president to approve a summary forwarded by the prime minister for the appointment of 19 additional judges and the confirmation of five judges to the Islamabad, Lahore, Sindh, Balochistan and Peshawar high courts.
What the petitioner argued
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the matter on Thursday. The petitioner’s counsel told the court that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan had recommended the appointments during meetings held on July 20 and 21. He argued that the summary had reportedly still not been approved after 15 days.
The lawyer also said that, according to the information available to him, the government had begun issuing notifications regarding the appointments. He asked the court to obtain details about the current status of the summary.
Court questions maintainability
During the hearing, the contents of the petition were read out on the court’s direction. Justice Tahir repeatedly asked whether a constitutional petition could be maintained against the president. He also sought precedent showing that a writ had been issued against the president in a similar situation.
According to Dawn, the court observed that the judgments cited by the petitioner did not support the argument that the court should issue directions to the president. The judge asked counsel to identify any decision in which a court had issued such directives.
The case now stands at the maintainability stage, meaning the court has not yet ruled on the merits of the request. The reserved verdict will determine whether the petition can proceed further.
Why the case matters
The plea highlights the procedural role of the presidency in judicial appointments and the legal question of how far courts can intervene when a summary remains pending. For now, the Islamabad High Court has not taken a final position on the petition itself.
FAQ
What is the petition about?
It challenges the delay in approving a summary related to the appointment and confirmation of judges to several high courts.
Has the Islamabad High Court given a final ruling?
No. The court reserved its ruling on whether the petition is maintainable.
Which appointment recommendations are involved?
The petition refers to 19 additional judges and five confirmations for the Islamabad, Lahore, Sindh, Balochistan and Peshawar high courts.
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