JCP meeting summoned on Thursday

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial has summoned a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Thursday (April 13) to consider the confirmation of Justice Musarrat Hilali as regular chief justice of the Peshawar High Court.

Justice Hilali has been performing the duties of acting chief justice of the PHC since April 1, 2023.

CJP Bandial will head the meeting of the JCP, which comprises four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, a former judge, the federal law minister, the attorney general for Pakistan, a senior advocate nominated by the Pakistan Bar Council, and one representative of the provincial and Islamabad bar councils.

After confirmation, the committee would propose the PHC CJ's name to the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of Judges in Superior Courts.

The development comes after CJP Bandial and SC's Senior Puisne Judge Qazi Faez Isa held a meeting, sources told Geo News, which took place in a "pleasant atmosphere".

The sources said matters related to the top court came under discussion during the meeting, while Justice Isa also brought up his participation in the special National Assembly session.

The meeting holds importance as there seems to be an apparent divide in the top court as several judges have had different opinions on the cases related to the election in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a letter earlier this month, the two most senior judges of the top court — Justice Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood — had also asked the CJP to call a JCP meeting to probe into the allegations levelled against Justice Sayed Mazahar Ali Naqvi.

Several references have been filed against Justice Naqvi, from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) to the Balochistan Bar Council, seeking his removal from office.