The Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Friday approved the formation of a committee to constitute rules and criteria for appointing judges, according to a press release issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Last week, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi called the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s meeting to consider Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan’s nomination to become eighth judge of the constitutional bench, formed under the 26th amendment.
In its maiden session on November 5, the Judicial Commission — reconstituted under the 26th Amendment — appointed Justice Aminuddin Khan as head of the seven-judge constitutional bench by a majority vote of seven to five, with the CJP among the dissenting members.
Friday’s meeting was attended by CJP Afridi, Supreme Court justices including Mansoor Ali Shah, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and the chief justices of the Sindh and Peshawar high courts. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Senator Ali Zafar were also present.
The press release stated that alongside forming the committee, the commission also approved the nomination of Supreme Court judge Shahid Bilal Hassan for the apex court’s constitutional bench.
