The delay in judicial appointments is hindering the effective functioning of Pakistan's judiciary, according to key legal voices, who have stressed the need for swift action to address the shortage of judges. The ongoing crisis in the judicial system, with its significant backlog of cases, is exacerbated by the lack of timely appointments, thereby undermining the foundation of justice for the public.
In a recent statement, Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) President Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta said, “The appointments to the superior judiciary are imperative for the efficient functioning of our judicial system and for ensuring the prompt dispensation of justice to all. It is essential that these appointments are made without any further delay to enhance the judicial capacity, which is already grappling with a shortage of judges, thus affecting the overall performance of the judiciary. Any further delay would significantly undermine the very foundation of fair and swift justice for the public at large.”
“The role of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) and its working are well-defined. We regard the formation of the JCP as the most balanced in recent years, as it includes equal representation from all relevant stakeholders. We have complete confidence in their insight, judgment and adherence to the spirit of the Constitution. Above all, the JCP Appointment Rules, 2024, have been recently framed, deliberated, and approved. All the nitty-gritties concerning the appointments to the superior courts have been thoroughly considered. The process of judicial appointments has entered its culmination stage. We are hopeful that, rather than being delayed, the matter of these long-awaited appointments will effectively be finalized for the better good of the rule of law and the prompt dispensation of justice. We also expect that the appointments will be made purely on merit basis,” the statement read.
“It is disheartening that a few individuals from within the legal fraternity are persistently undermining the very foundations of the judicial system for the purposes of political gains. We note that these rogue individuals, under the banner of the so-called All Pakistan Lawyer Action Committee, are continuously attempting to damage the very institution that has sustained them over the decades. What is even more concerning is that in order to fulfill their illegitimate goals, they have become so entrenched in their actions that they no longer recognize themselves obstructing the very cause of prompt dispensation of justice. Their vague assertions deserve no attention.”
“Let these unprincipled individuals understand that their baseless assertions against the Constitution, collective will of parliament, the combined acumen of the JCP, their attempts to create division within the legal fraternity, and their efforts to create hurdles in the speedy and prompt dispensation of justice, will soon meet their demise. As the only representative apex Bar Association of the country, we once again reaffirm our full commitment to upholding the supremacy of the Constitution, supporting the legality of the 26th Amendment, the formation of the JCP, and all its decisions,” the statement read.