Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar said on Saturday that as far as he was concerned, the notification for the appointment of the new chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) would be issued on October 24, and that the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court would be the next chief justice since it was written in the constitution, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
According to the Supreme Court website, apex court’s senior puisne judge is Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.
Speaking after the parliamentary committee meeting held to discuss the constitutional amendments in Islamabad, Azam Tarar said that the notification for the appointment of the current army chief had been made two days prior to his elevation.
Tarar said that the very fact that political parties had sat together was a ‘breakthrough’. “Today we had a discussion on the draft. Now we will meet after a gap of three days,” he added.
The minister said that the amendments could be finalized even after October 25th. “It may take four days and even months to complete the process.”
He went on to say that when a new institution had to be introduced in the constitution, several factors had to be taken into account. “Basically, our discussions center round four to five amendments,” Tarar informed.
He further said that in the USA the president appointed a judge and the parliamentary committee interviewed him. “In India, at times parliament votes for the appointment or removal of a judge.”
On Friday, 24News TV channel had reported that a full court reference in the honour of outgoing CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa will be held in Islamabad on October 25.
According to a circular issued by the Supreme Court’s Registrar Office, the full court reference will be held at 10:30 AM.
Senior advocates including President Supreme Court Bar Association have been invited to the full court reference.
The full court reference is a customary practice to pay tribute to the outgoing chief justice for his contributions to the judiciary and legal fraternity. It is expected to be attended by senior judges, lawyers, and officials, marking the end of Justice Qazi Faez Isa's tenure.
Registrar Jazila Saleem has also informed the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association about the reference through a letter. She has asked for a copy of the president's speech at the reference.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa was sworn in as the 29th chief justice of Pakistan on September 17, 2023. The oath of office was administered by former president Arif Alvi during a ceremony held at Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad.