ISLAMABAD: A 12-member special parliamentary committee, tasked with choosing a name for the new chief justice, on Tuesday picked Justice Yahya Afridi for the key post, Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said, as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party lawmakers boycotted the committee’s proceedings.
The committee, which was formed under the contentious 26th constitutional amendment on Monday, was required to pick a name out of the three senior-most judges of the Supreme Court for the post of the chief justice.
Pakistan’s incumbent top judge, Qazi Faez Isa, is set to retire on Friday. The three senior-most judges considered for the key post included Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Yahya Afridi.
“As per the constitutional requirement, the nomination of Justice Yahya Afridi has been dispatched to the prime minister with two-thirds of majority [of the committee members],” Tarar told reporters in Islamabad.
The development came after the first round of the in-camera meeting of the parliamentary panel, which was earlier postponed as PTI’s Gohar Khan and Senator Ali Zafar boycotted the proceedings.
The contentious constitutional amendment passed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led ruling coalition has generated a heated debate in the country, with opposition parties and prominent lawyers alleging the new law aims to curtail the judiciary’s independence.
The government rejects these allegations and says the amendments are aimed at empowering Pakistan’s parliament and providing speedy justice to the country’s citizens by allowing the establishment of constitutional courts among other changes.
Legal experts say there are some clauses in the 26th constitutional amendment that are “problematic,” but it is much better than what was being anticipated.
“There are certain clauses that on the face of it seem to be curtailing the powers of the judiciary. We have also seen that in the past decade or so, judges have misused the power to appoint judges. They have appointed certain judges that were their own favorites,” lawyer Osama Malik told Arab News.
“They deliberately appointed some judges earlier than other judges that they could then become chief justices of the country. The seniority was managed by the senior most judges of the supreme court and that was causing serious problems for everyone. Now perhaps some balance will be found and if not, we will have to rectify it again.”
Pakistan parliamentary panel picks Justice Yahya Afridi as next chief justice
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Pakistan parliamentary panel picks Justice Yahya Afridi as next chief justice
- Development comes a day after a constitutional amendment empowered parliament to pick top judge
- Justice Yahya Afridi ranked last on a list of three senior-most judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Pakistan PM reviews internal, regional security after Khamenei killing, Afghanistan strikes
- At least 16 people were killed and dozens more injured in clashes over killing of the Iranian supreme leader
- The unrest came amid Pakistan’s offensive against Afghan forces, which officials say has killed 415 fighters
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday convened a high-level meeting to review internal and regional security situation, Sharif’s office said, amid nationwide protests over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Islamabad’s ongoing military operation against Afghan forces.
Protests erupted in several cities across Pakistan on Sunday after the killing of the Iranian supreme leader in US-Israeli joint strikes, with at least 16 people killed and dozens more injured in clashes with law enforcement agencies.
The unrest came amid Pakistan’s ongoing military operation against Afghan forces following a series of tit-for-tat strikes by the neighbors which began after Islamabad hit what it said were Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh camps in Afghanistan on Feb 21-22.
During Sunday’s meeting, officials briefed PM Sharif and other participants about the country’s internal situation and security arrangements in place to thwart any untoward incident, according to Sharif’s office.
“Pakistan’s role and various measures to establish peace in the region were reviewed at the meeting,” Sharif’s office said. “The situation in Afghanistan was also reviewed in detail at the meeting.”
The development came shortly after Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that 415 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 580 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities between the neighbors began on Thursday.
Afghan officials earlier said that dozens of Pakistani soldiers had been killed and several Pakistan posts had been captured by their forces. None of the casualty figures or battlefield claims from either side could be independently verified.
Earlier in the day, gunshots and explosions were reported in Kabul. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the sounds were the result of Afghan forces targeting Pakistani aircraft over the capital.
“Air defense attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft,” Mujahid wrote on X. “Kabul residents should not be concerned.”
KHAMENEI KILLING ‘VIOLATION’ OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
Separately, Sharif said the killing of Khamenei was a “violation” of international law.
“People of Pakistan join the people of Iran in their hour of grief and sorrow and extend the most sincere condolences on the martyrdom [of Khamenei],” he wrote on X.
“Pakistan also expresses concern over violation of the norms of international law.”
EVACUATION OF PAKISTANIS FROM IRAN
At Sunday’s meeting, officials of the foreign ministry also briefed the prime minister on the evacuation of Pakistani citizens from Iran, according to a statement issued from Sharif’s office.
“The evacuation of Pakistani citizens from Iran is being made possible through Azerbaijan,” they were quoted as saying.
Pakistan earlier asked its citizens in Gulf countries to exercise caution, avoid travel and strictly follow official adviseries, amid escalating tensions following the killing of Khamenei.
The foreign ministry shared emergency contact details of Pakistani embassies and consulates for the facilitation of Pakistani nationals abroad.
