While speaking to the journalists at a recent event, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa fielded a series of questions on such issues as reforming the judiciary including himself, appointment of judges and the growing need for ‘more judges”. His answers bring forth a number of pertinent matters on the status quo of the judiciary in Pakistan.
Chief Justice on Tenure Extension
Nothing seemed too scary to a reporter chasing down Chief Justice Isa as he inquired in her article whether or not Chief Justice Isa planned to extend his term of office. At this point, the Chief Justice revealed that several months ago, the Law Minister came into his chamber and told him that they were thinking of increasing the Chief Justice term to three years possibly in order to try it out later on (several years) more.
However, there’s no denying that this would both Isas say on the extension of tenure beneficial to the one currently in office if the idea was to restrict a constitutional amendment in favor of any specific else, such an amendment would be arro a cause for alarm. …and one of the worrying concerns caused by such measures is loss of independence of a person who is to adjudge objectively.
The Government’s Proposal for a Three-Year Tenure
The Chief Justice also acknowledged that, although the Law Minister introduced the concept, no serious discussions have followed. He stressed that every effort must be made to prevent political interference or influence on any changes to the judiciary. changes, he said, must take into account the structure of the judicial edifice so that such reforms are not political.
Meeting with Law Minister: Focus on Judicial Appointments
The tenor of the meeting with the Law Minister saw the Chief Justice of Pakistan Megha Rehman along with Attorney General Mansoor Ali Khan and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. There was a discussion not only on the tenure of the Chief Justice but even on the subject of judiciary members’ appointments. The Law Minister pointed out the significance of the Parliamentary Committee in the process of judicial appointments and endorsed the idea of combining the Parliamentary Committee with the Judicial Commission so that the body is solely responsible for the appointments.
Chief Justice’s Response to Judicial Appointment Proposals
Chief Justice Isa explained why he had responded that way, clarifying that the suggestions were already legal in Parliament since the legislature has the right to determine the processes for appointing judges. . He emphasized that a holistic approach to the matter required cross-sectional representation to prevent bias within the body.
Clarification on Rana Sanaullah’s Statement
When asked by a different journalist whether Rana Sanaullah had made a statement which was likely to have been misleading to the audience given a rather bitter episode that the minister had had, Chief Justice Isa replied that it was never the case, he had never even seen the minister. He told the reporter that these are not the appropriate people to ask. His refusal to offer any explanations or concern himself with political statements and issues demonstrated his determination to conduct the affairs of the judiciary in an efficient and independent manner devoid of interference from the outside.
Questions on the Increase in the Number of Judges
In addition, when asked about the increasing demand for more judges, Chief Justice Isa acknowledged the issue but emphasized that the immediate priority was to fill the existing vacancies. He argued that considering the addition of more judges was pointless until those positions were filled. He expressed disappointment over the unfilled spots within the judiciary, noting that they slowed down the functioning of the system.
This was, he said, in most cases unnecessary as it created unnecessary headaches and false impressions.
