Judicial Commission postpones Justice Ayesha Malik’s elevation to SC

Justice Ayesha Malik, a Lahore High Court judge, could not be elevated to the Supreme Court, as the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) could not reach a consensus on the matter.

Of eight, four JCP members seconded the elevation, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Thursday.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahman presided over a meeting of the JCP that last for three and a half hours.

The CJP, Justice Umer Atta Bandial, law minister and the attorney general were in favour of the elevation while Justice Maqbool Baqir, Justice Sardar Tariq Mehmood, Justice (r) Dost Muhammad and Akhtar Husain of Pakistan Bar council were against the move.

The post of an SC judge fell vacant after the retirement of Justice Musheer Alam. The session lasted for three and a half hours and the JCP postponed the issue as no consensus on the issue could be made.

Earlier, the legal fraternity boycotted the courts to protest against the elevation of Justice Ayesha Malik to the Supreme Court.

The lawyers community demanded that a senior-most judge should be appointed in the apex court.

This is for the second time after the lawyers’ movement launched against former military dictator General (r) Pervez Musharraf for the independence of the judiciary that such a unity is being seen in the ranks of legal fraternity as like in other courts across the country, the Supreme Court (SC) lawyers too boycotted the court proceedings on Thursday in protest against the ‘likely elevation’ of Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Justice Ayesha Malik to the post of SC judge.

Security was tightened as heavy contingents of police took their positions as lawyers broke away from the long-held tradition, congregated outside the apex court building and shouted slogans to register their protest against the likely appointment of Justice Ayesha as SC judge.

Police also barred the entry of people through the court’s main gate.

This is for the second time in the country’s history that the Supreme Court lawyers have refused to appear before the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed to voice their dissent. The last time the spectacle had been witnessed when former CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry had led the campaign against Musharraf.