LHC Chief Justice grills govt over delay in appointment of special courts judges

Amid undue delay in the appointment of special court judges, Chief Justice Lahore High Court has summoned the Punjab Cabinet Committee on Wednesday which was constituted under the chair of the Law Minister regarding the appointment of judges in special courts, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

While hearing the case of shifting of cases from Anti-Terror Court 1 bench Rawalpindi, Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan questioned the delaying tactics of the Punjab Government regarding the appointment of special court judges in the province. The CJ also sought a report regarding the procedure of special court judges’ appointments.

During the hearing of the case, Additional Attorney General Malik Javed Awan, Advocate General Punjab Khalid Ishaq, Prosecutor General Syed Farhad Ali Shah and Registrar Lahore High Court were present in the courtroom.

LHC Chief Justice during a heated argument with Advocate General Punjab said that three years had lapsed and LHC had written a number of letters to the Punjab government seeking the appointment of the judges of special courts but the Govt was ignoring the court’s requests.

On this Advocate General Punjab told Chief Justice Malik Shahzad that once a meaningful negotiation procedure was followed, govt would appoint judges at once.

On this LHC Chief Justice said that during the last hearing Advocate General Punjab had said that govt would approve the appointment during the Cabinet meeting but now you (AGP) were talking of meaningful negotiations. There were contradictions in AGP’s statements.

LHC Chief Justice while addressing AGP said: “The court does not want to create problems for AGP and he himself was digging an abyss. CJ said govt doesn’t care if courts remain empty, people remain in jails without trial. The CJ asked whether the government wanted to appoint judges of their own choice, whether was this a meaningful negotiation”.

AGP on CJ’s remarks said, “It was not the case, to hold meaningful negotiations, Cabinet committee was ready to visit here and after meaningful negotiations, judges appointment will be made not in days but in hours”.

Chief Justice Shahzad on the AGP statement, directed him to ask the Cabinet committee to come here tomorrow and submit its statement on meaningful talks. The CJ said the court does not want to interfere in Govt’s matters.

LHC CJ advised the govt to perform its duty as how many times, as Registrar HC requested the govt to have mercy on people. AGP said the Cabinet committee was ready to hold negotiations with the Registrar High Court when the court gave the order as it was an executive issue.

CJ Malik Shahzad questioned AGP whether this method was adopted before. On this AGP said, “This method was used in the past but he has no record of the past”. On this CJ directed the Cabinet Committee to come and hold negotiations with Registrar High Court.

CJ made it clear to AGP that the court can also summon Chief Minister Punjab. Justice Shahzad Malik said, “if the government wanted to bring judges of their own choice then the government should bring amendment in the law and the procedure of judges’ appointment should be changed”.

The Court also rejected the requests of AGP to defer the hearing of the case till Monday and adjourned the hearing till May 17, 2024.