Supreme Court gets two ad hoc judges

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Friday approved the appointment of Justice (retd) Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice (retd) Mazhar Alam Mian Khel as ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court.

The decision was made during a meeting of the SJC chaired by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

According to sources, despite the approval, some members of the commission disagreed on the appointments.

The sources claimed that Justice Muneeb Akhtar opposed both the appointments while Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi specifically opposed Justice Mazhar Alam Mian Khel’s appointment, citing his earlier refusal to serve as an ad hoc judge.

However, the commission reached a consensus on Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, with only Justice Muneeb Akhtar dissenting on his appointment.

The name of Justice (retd) Mazhar Alam Mian Khel was approved by a 6-3 majority, with Justices Mansoor Ali Shah, Muneeb Akhtar and Yahya Afridi voting against him.

Initially, four former judges were proposed as ad hoc judges for the Supreme Court: Justice (rted) Mushir Alam, Justice (retd) Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice (retd) Mazhar Alam Mian Khel and Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqir. However, Justices Mushir Alam, Maqbool Baqir and Mazhar Alam Mian Khel had refused the offer.

Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced to challenge in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) the appointment of ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad after a joint parliamentary meeting of the PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar said that the party will approach the Supreme Judicial Council regarding the appointment of ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court.