ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani parliamentary committee that deals with the appointment of judges endorsed the elevation of Lahore High Court Justice Ayesha A. Malik to the Supreme Court while maintaining that her appointment would not abolish the principle of seniority that is usually considered in such promotions, reported the local media on Wednesday.
Malik's appointment to the country's apex court was proposed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed in August last year, though there was some controversy over her possible appointment within the legal circles since she is not the most senior judge at the Lahore High Court.
Earlier this month, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan approved her elevation to the Supreme Court in a meeting that was chaired by the chief justice of Pakistan by a majority of five votes against four.
The parliamentary committee upheld the idea of appointing Malik to the apex court under the chairmanship of Senator Farooq Naek on Wednesday.
"According to Farooq Naek, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on January 7 approved the nomination of Justice Ayesha Malik for her appointment as the Supreme Court judge with a vote of five out of nine," Geo News reported. "He further said that the court is not abolishing the procedure to appoint judges based on their seniority, adding that Malik would be the first woman to become an SC judge and she would benefit the country."
Malik's appointment to the Supreme Court can make her the first female judge in the history of Pakistan to become part of the country's top court.
Currently, she ranks fourth in terms of seniority at the Lahore High Court.
She was recently supported by the Women in Law Pakistan initiative that argued that seniority was not a legal requirement for such appointments, adding that "at least 41 times judges have been appointed to the Supreme Court without them being most senior."
Malik has been nominated for the Supreme Court position which will fall vacant after the retirement of Justice Mushir Alam in August.
Parliamentary committee approves Justice Ayesha Malik's elevation to Supreme Court
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Parliamentary committee approves Justice Ayesha Malik's elevation to Supreme Court
- Malik's appointment to the country's apex court was originally proposed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed
- Her elevation can make her the first female judge in the country's history to serve Pakistan's top court
Pakistan court directs authorities to form medical board to assess Imran Khan’s eye condition
- Islamabad High Court rejects jailed ex-PM’s request for immediate transfer to private hospital
- Medical board comprising doctors from PIMS and Shifa to submit report on possible transfer
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani high court on Thursday directed authorities to form a medical board of government doctors to assess whether jailed former prime minister Imran Khan needs to be transferred to a hospital, his party said, following a rejection of his request to be moved to a private facility for treatment.
The development comes after the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said last week that Khan’s vision had “improved remarkably” since he was given an Anti-VEGF injection amid concerns related to his eyesight.
Anti-VEGF injections are commonly used to treat retinal vein occlusion and other retinal vascular disorders by reducing swelling and abnormal blood vessel growth inside the eye. Prior to the development, the ex-premier had complained of rapid deterioration in vision in one of his eyes.
“The Islamabad High Court has rejected Imran Khan’s request for immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said in a post on X.
“The court directed that the Chief Commissioner immediately constitute a medical board comprising doctors from PIMS and Shifa Hospital,” it continued. “The medical board will submit a report, on the basis of which the Chief Commissioner will decide whether a hospital transfer is to take place or not.”
The PTI said the court’s decision had raised questions over the judiciary’s independence.
“Delaying a medical emergency and handing it over to administrative discretion is a violation of human rights,” it said. “The issue of Imran Khan’s health is not just about one individual but reflects the entire judicial and state system.”
The 74-year-old cricketer-turned politician has been in prison since August 2023 in cases that he and his party say are politically motivated.
Khan was taken to PIMS for a medical procedure earlier this year, as his party questioned the transparency of the medical update and demanded independent access to his care.
Khan was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence that he says was orchestrated at the behest of the former administration in Washington by his political rivals with backing from the military. His allegation has been denied by all parties involved.
Since his imprisonment, Khan has faced multiple convictions and ongoing legal proceedings that authorities say follow due process, while his party describes them as efforts to sideline him from politics.
