Judicial Commission of Pakistan

A writ petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging President Asif Ali Zardari’s delay in assenting to a summary from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding judicial appointments. The petition, led by advocate Luqman Zafar Chaudhary, argues the delay violates constitutional provisions and disrupts judicial administration, citing specific recommendations by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) under Articles 175A and 48 of the Constitution.

Delays in presidential approval of judicial extensions have caused the term of an Sindh High Court additional judge to expire, with four Peshawar High Court judges facing similar expiration. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan recommended extensions, but the Presidency has not issued notifications, citing the president's constitutional role in judge appointments.

IHC registrar issued a notice to Justice Babar Sattar, directing him to vacate his Islamabad residence within 30 days after the Estate Office canceled the allotment. The order followed his transfer to the Peshawar High Court and required him to leave by August 3. Justice Sattar had previously expressed intent to retain the Islamabad accommodation despite the transfer.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) recommended a six-month extension for Justice Khalid Hussain Shahani as an additional judge in the Sindh High Court (SHC) and proposed appointments for five vacant high court positions. It also considered nominations for the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and confirmed four additional judges as permanent judges in the provincial high courts after evaluations.

Lawyers Action Committee rejects the Judicial Commission of Pakistan's high court judge appointments as 'horse trading' and 'horrific', criticizing the process for political and financial influence. Ali Ahmed Kurd, a veteran lawyer, will lead the committee's nationwide movement addressing judicial and security issues.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan is set to select three judges for the Islamabad High Court on July 20, a process that has become politically sensitive due to opposition protests and demands from Islamabad lawyers to prioritize local legal professionals. The IHC administration submitted three nominees, but bar associations argue the candidates lack local lawyer support, prompting calls for appointments from the federal capital’s legal community.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has finalized three candidates for vacant judge positions, with their names submitted to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) for scrutiny under new 2026 rules. The JCP is expected to finalize appointments later this month after evaluating nominees, including District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, former Advocate General Ayyaz Shaukat, and advocate Umair Majeed Malik.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has formed interview committees to vet candidates for high court judge appointments without including any Supreme Court judges. The panels, chaired by Federal Constitutional Court judges, include high court chief justices, the attorney general, senators, and a bar association representative for four high courts.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has initiated a process to fill 10 vacant additional judge positions in the Lahore High Court. The commission approved new interview rules and established a seven-member panel to evaluate candidates, following the 27th Constitutional Amendment that expanded the JCP's authority to set judicial appointment criteria.