AGP Mansoor Awan disputes CJP’s position on judges’ seniority

ISLAMABAD: During an informal conversation with the media outside the Supreme Court premises, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan said that he does not agree with the seniority situation as a result of the latest appointments to the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

‘Appointment’ different from ‘transfer’: IHC Chief Justice rules

He said that does not agree with the position of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi on Justice Sarfaraz Dogar’s seniority. “My position is in writing in the Judicial Commission meeting,” AGP Awan said, adding, the seniority list of judges is made from among those who have previously taken the oath.

“The transfer of a judge from any high court is not temporary,” the attorney general said.

JUSTICE AAMER FAROOQ AGREES WITH CJP

It is notable here that after CJP Afridi announced the new appointments in Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) communique, former IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a decision as well.

He said that the appointment of judges is different from transfer of judges from one high court to another. Justice Farooq said that the judges who have been transferred to the IHC from the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Peshawar High Court (PHC), the Sindh High Court (SHC) or the Balochistan High Court (BHC) do not have to take the oath again. He said that the President can transfer justices and it does not affect their seniority.

Justice Farooq is among the six newly appointed justices to the Supreme Court.

OATH TAKING CEREMONY DELAYED

The six new judges, along with the newly appointed acting justice, of the Supreme Court were scheduled to be sworn-in today. However, the Law Ministry issued the notification of the appointments later at night, which led the ceremony to be postponed until tomorrow.

Swearing-in ceremony of new SC judges postponed

Preparations are underway for the oath-taking ceremony on Friday. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Shafi Siddiqui, Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Hashim Kakar and Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim have been elevated to the Supreme Court, along with SHC’s Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and PHC’s Justice Shakeel Ahmed. IHC’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has been appointed as the acting justice of the apex court as well.

Tomorrow all these justices will be sworn-in to the apex court.