Ordinances justified only in emergencies: IHC
Says money spent on electronic voting machines to go wasted if ordinance can’t turn into law
Islamabad High Court. PHOTO: IHC WEBSITE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has noted that the PTI government still has 2 years to rule and its decision to introduce the electronic voting machines (EVMs) or to bring about changes in the High Education Commission (HEC) should be routed through the parliament rather than through ordinances.
“An ordinance can be passed only in an emergency situation when a law is needed to be imposed immediately and the parliament is not in session,” IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said on Wednesday as head of a division bench hearing a slew of petitions filed against PTI government’s ordinances.
This photo shows Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar. Photo courtesy Sindh High Court website
ISLAMABAD: By a majority of five to four, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Wednesday approved the elevation of a judge who was fifth on the seniority list of Sindh High Court to the Supreme Court.
The decision drew strong reaction from the premier lawyers’ body, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), which called a general body meeting of all provincial bar councils and associations on Aug 5.
During the over-two-hour-long session, which was presided over by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, the JCP finally gave the nod to the nomination of Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar in a tense atmosphere to fill the vacant position of the SC judge.
On Monday, the PBC had stated that though the nomination of Justice Mazhar was deferred, his name was again pushed forward within a short span of 15 days a development that had raised reservations of the legal fraternity. AFP/File
ISLAMABAD: Following in the footsteps of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), different bar councils and associations have also announced that they will observe black day on Wednesday (today) when the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) will deliberate on elevation of a junior judge of the Sindh High Court (SHC).
A day ahead of the scheduled JCP meeting, the PBC, a premier regulatory body of the lawyers, finally appointed senior counsel Akhtar Hussain to convey its concerns over the commission’s choice to fill the vacant office of a judge in the Supreme Court.
Under the rules, the Judicial Commission can recommend the appointment of ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court after its sanctioned strength of 17 judges is complete. AFP/File
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has issued a countrywide strike call for Wednesday (July 28) to protest the summoning of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to take up for a second time the elevation of Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) for filling the remaining vacant office of a judge in the Supreme Court.
In addition, Khushdil Khan, the PBC vice chairman, summoned an emergent meeting for Tuesday (today) to consider names for representing it at JCP meetings.
July 27, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The legal fraternity will again observe a complete strike on July 28 (tomorrow) across the country in view of reconsideration of elevation of a judge of the Sindh High Court to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the apex body of the lawyer community, announced complete strike at all courts throughout the country on July 28, 2021 as a mark of protest against the proposed elevation of a junior Judge by ignoring four senior judges of the same high court as well as the principle of seniority, enshrined in various landmark judgments of the Supreme Court.
The announcement was made during an emergency meeting of the PBC executive committee, held here on Monday at the Supreme Court. The meeting was presided over by Fahim Wali Khan, chairman, and attended by members of the committee.