As incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa is set to retire on October 25, the coalition government has kicked off the process of appointing a new top court judge following the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which mandates the top judicial slot be filled three days before the incumbent’s retirement.
In a notification issued on late Monday, the National Assembly Secretariat said that a 12-member Special Parliamentary Committee has been constituted for the appointment of next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).
The 26th Constitutional Amendment sets the CJP’s term at three years or until they reach the retirement age of 65. Additionally, the selection of the chief justice will no longer be based solely on seniority, and instead, the choice will be made among the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court.
President Asif Ali Zardari signed the bill into law on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the wee hours of Monday.
After tweaks to the Constitution’s Article 175A, a 12-member Special Parliamentary Committee will nominate the new chief justice out of three senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
The recommendation would be considered final after the committee agrees on a name for the coveted judiciary post with a two-thirds majority.
Over the committee’s recommendation, the prime minister will send the nomination to the president for final approval.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
