Key Reorganization of Administrative Bodies, Judges Appointed for Oversight
ISLAMABAD: Following the recent swearing-in of six new judges as justices of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has restructured several key committees within the apex court.
The six-member Case Management Committee, now led by CJP Afridi, has been reorganized to include Justice Naeem Afghan, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, and Justice Shafi Siddiqui, along with the Additional Registrar and the IT Director.
This move comes just days after the appointment of Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, former Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, SHC senior puisne judge Salahuddin Panhwar, Peshawar High Court (PHC) Judge Shakeel Ahmad, former Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, and former PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim as Supreme Court judges, following approval by President Asif Ali Zardari. Additionally, Justice Miangul Hassan has been sworn in as an acting judge of the Supreme Court.
In a significant administrative step, CJP Yahya Afridi has appointed judges to oversee anti-terrorism courts across different provinces. Justice Musarrat Hilali will supervise the anti-terrorism courts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Justice Malik Shahzad in Punjab, Justice Hashim Kakar in Balochistan, Justice Panhwar in Sindh, and Justice Aamer Farooq in Islamabad.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail has been appointed to head the SC Building Committee, with Justice Siddiqui and Justice Aamer Farooq as members.
The CJP will personally oversee the IT Committee, with Justice Muhammad Ali and Justice Miangul Hassan serving as members.
Other committee appointments include Justice Shahid Bilal leading the Research Centre Committee, with Justice Farooq and Justice Siddiqui as members. Justice Muhammad Ali will head the Law Clerkship Programme Committee, with Justice Miangul Hassan as a member.
A group of five judges, including the CJP, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Kakar, Justice Panhwar, and Justice Shakeel Ahmad, will be tasked with hearing various chamber appeals.
Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi will take charge of the SC Archive and Museum Committee, with Justice Panhwar and Justice Miangul Hassan as members.
Additionally, Justice Shahzad will lead the committee on model courts and swift justice, with Justice Kakar, Justice Panhwar, and Justice Ibrahim serving as members. Justice Ibrahim has also been appointed as the Supreme Court’s security judge, overseeing the security of the Court building, its branch registries, and the judges’ colony.
Justice Miangul Hassan will serve as the liaison judge for child custody cases under the Pakistan-UK protocol.
The Supreme Court has also dissolved the committee responsible for monitoring the quality of staff uniforms.
Separate notifications outlining the new committee formations and appointments have been issued by the Registrar’s Office.
