Islamabad: seven new judges of the Supreme Court and the president of the Superior Court of Islamabad (IHC) took oaths on Friday.
The president of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi administered the oath to the newly appointed judges in a ceremony held in the Complex of the Supreme Court, with the iconic white marble building as a backdrop.
The ceremony was a deviation from the past practices where the oath of the new judges took place within the ceremonial hall of the Court.
The judges who were given the oath were judges Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Salahuddin Panhwar, Shakeel Ahmad, Aamer Farooq and Ishtiaq Ibrahim.
Judge Shah says that “he will not accept defeat”, as rumors revolve from a possible reference; New inductions carry the force of the Apex court to 25
Judge Miangul Hassan Aurengzeb, who was appointed interim judge, was sworn separately by the CJP.
The ceremony was attended by judges of the Supreme Court, Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, main lawyers and law officers.
Judge Aminud Din Khan, who was not fine and Judges Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, who had gone to Karachi, did not attend the ceremony.
With new inductions, the total strength of the Supreme Court is now 25 years, including two ad hoc judges: Judge Sardar Tariq Mahmood and Judge Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel.
Shortly after the oath, the judges joined a bank of nine members headed by the CJP, which heard about 10 cases in Court No. 1 of the Apex court.
‘Fight’
Judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, the senior judge of Puisne of the Supreme Court, has promised to “launch an appropriate fight” amid the reports of a possible complaint of the Government against two judges of the Superior Court.
After Friday’s oath ceremony, journalists asked Judge Shah about the comments of Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, who, without appointing anyone, hinted at a possible “reference against two judges of the Supreme Court.”
“The conduct of two senior judges of the Supreme Court … is such that a reference can be [filed] Against them, ”said Sanoullah.
Judge Shah said the matter would be considered if any reference was presented. “We will not accept any defeat.”
Complaints against the best judges of the Court are presented in the Supreme Judicial Council.
Judge Shah is a member of the SJC, headed by the Supreme Court of the Supreme Court and includes the two most senior judges of the Apex Court and main judges of two upper courts.
During the media interaction, Judge Shah observed that “Allah Almighty is with us.”
“We hadn’t done anything wrong. Why should we be afraid of something? He said, adding that he had no personal grudge or differentiates anyone.
Given the serious differences between the main judges of the Court, Judge Shah made some sarcastic comments to make the light of the situation.
The second highest judge of the Supreme Court said that the judges come to the Court “just to drink tea.”
This was an apparent reference to a recent complaint by the CJP that some judges who listen to corporate and fiscal issues did not work these days.
However, after his mockery, Judge Shah hastened to add that the Supreme Court website will say how many reported cases they have for their credit.
When asked about the CJP’s statement that his fellow judges sometimes scared, Judge Shah laughed and said: “Look, our hands tremble.”
Another judge of the Supreme Court, Judge Jamal Khan Commandkhail, was asked if he had seen the letter written by the founder of PTI Imran Khan to the CJP.
He denied having received any letter, which the CJP said he had sent to the Constitutional Committee of the Court, which solves the cases before the judges.
Judge Commandkhail is also a member of that committee.
Imran Khan wrote to the CJP about the delay in taking requests presented by his party by virtue of article 184 (3) of the Constitution.
Posted in Dawn, February 15, 2025
