ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has approved the nomination of Justice Aqeel Abbasi and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi to the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench.
The JCP meeting, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi, took place at the Supreme Court. All commission members attended the session, which focused on the expansion of the constitutional bench.
Justice Abbasi Gets Majority Vote
According to the official statement, Justice Aqeel Abbasi secured eight votes from the commission. In contrast, Justice Najafi received only two. The approval was made through a majority decision, increasing the strength of the constitutional bench to 15 members.
Sources confirmed that Barrister Gohar Ali and Barrister Senator Ali Zafar, representing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), did not support the nominations. They abstained from voting, citing the lack of a defined procedure for judicial inductions into the constitutional bench.
PTI Proposes Alternative Names Based on Seniority
PTI representatives reportedly stressed that the induction process should follow clear rules and seniority principles. They proposed the names of Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Shahid Waheed for inclusion based on their senior positions in the judiciary.
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Their abstention reflected PTI’s ongoing stance to ensure transparency and consistency in judicial appointments.
Full Court Meeting Addresses Reforms and Rules
In a separate development, a full court meeting was held the same day at the Supreme Court under CJP Afridi’s leadership. The meeting reviewed several key matters, including:
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Pakistan Bar Council recommendations for allowing former high court judges to practice as Supreme Court advocates
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Right to information and access for the public
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Asset declaration processes for judges
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Review of the draft Supreme Court Rules, 2025
All judges present offered their feedback. The bench appreciated the work of the Supreme Court Rules Amendment Committee and commended the Registrar’s office for its role in the reform process.
The forum agreed to reconvene soon to continue deliberations and support judicial reforms.
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