09-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
CJP summons SJC meeting
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has summoned a Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) meeting on July 12 to review pending complaints and consider amendments to the SJC rules.
The Council is headed by CJP Yahya Afridi, and comprises two senior most judges of the Supreme Court; i.e., Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar, and two senior Chief Justices of High Courts; i.e., Justice Aalia Neelum, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court (LHC), and Justice S M Attique Shah, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC).
The Supreme Court's PRO on February 7, 2025 issued Judicial Performance report on the completion of CJP Yahya Afridi's 100 Days. According to that, the SJC had examined 46 complaints under Article 209 of the Constitution received against constitutional officeholders, out of which, 40 were disposed of, whereas, comments in five complaints were sought, and one was sent for information.
Six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) – Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Raffat Imtiaz on March 25, 2024 had written a letter to the SJC against the alleged 'interference' and 'intimidation' by the 'operatives of intelligence agencies.'
In the letter, they sought guidance from the SJC with regard to the duty of a 'judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies that seek to interfere with discharge of his/ her official functions and qualify as intimidation'.
Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on their letter had taken a suo moto and constituted a seven-member bench to examine the IHC judges' concerns. However, Justice Yahya opposed the suo moto and recused from the bench.
Justice Faez also formed one-man Commission comprising ex-CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to probe the allegations of the IHC judges. However, Justice Tassaduq due to social media declined to head the commission. After that no further progress was made in that respect.
Following the IHC judges' letter, complaints were filed against five judges of the IHC, which have been pending.
The Judicial Performance report also stated that significant reforms were implemented to enhance efficiency, transparency, accountability, and accessibility in the justice sector. A key aspect of these reforms includes the swift resolution of complaints against constitutional officeholders, ensuring accountability mechanisms function efficiently, and upholding public confidence in the judiciary. The amendments in the Supreme Judicial Council Code of Conduct and Procedure of Enquiry 2005 were considered.
However, sources shared that Justice Munib was given task to propose the amendments in the SJC Code.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
