Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa has called for meetings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to be made public, citing the need for greater transparency in judicial appointments to the apex court.
"It will be even better for transparency of the proceedings that the meeting of the commission should be open for everyone. The benefit of this would be that speculations would come to an end,” Justice Isa said during a JCP meeting earlier this year, the minutes of which were made available to the Tribune.
The judge indicated that he had noted that sometimes meeting minutes had been transcribed inaccurately, and said that allowing the public to witness the hearings would clarify for the public the nomination system to the Supreme Court (SC).
Regarding judicial appointments, he said that nominations to the SC should be made on 'seniority-cum-merit' and said that in the past, merit had been unduly considered.
"There is no example in the world where such high appointments are made like this. The criteria include a law degree but we know how people manage to get the law degree," he said.
Justice Isa further claimed that the JCP's secretary, a government appointee, had been intentionally ignoring correspondence from the judge.
The Justice said that the government's appointment for this position had been 'illegal' and called for a civil servant to fill the role.
“A bureaucrat should know that the judiciary has been separated from the executive now. A member of the executive cannot sit here. He should have not accepted this appointment and I have written several letters on this issue," Justice Isa said.
"It will be even better for transparency of the proceedings that the meeting of the commission should be open for everyone. The benefit of this would be that speculations would come to an end,” Justice Isa said during a JCP meeting earlier this year, the minutes of which were made available to the Tribune.
The judge indicated that he had noted that sometimes meeting minutes had been transcribed inaccurately, and said that allowing the public to witness the hearings would clarify for the public the nomination system to the Supreme Court (SC).
Regarding judicial appointments, he said that nominations to the SC should be made on 'seniority-cum-merit' and said that in the past, merit had been unduly considered.
"There is no example in the world where such high appointments are made like this. The criteria include a law degree but we know how people manage to get the law degree," he said.
Justice Isa further claimed that the JCP's secretary, a government appointee, had been intentionally ignoring correspondence from the judge.
The Justice said that the government's appointment for this position had been 'illegal' and called for a civil servant to fill the role.
“A bureaucrat should know that the judiciary has been separated from the executive now. A member of the executive cannot sit here. He should have not accepted this appointment and I have written several letters on this issue," Justice Isa said.