Appointing judges in Gilgit-Baltistan

IT is reiterated that there are two posts of judges vacant in the chief court Gilgit Baltistan and summary whereof has been prepared without due course and fullfilment of mandatory requirements as envisaged in article 69(6) of the GB self-governance order 2009. Last year two positions were filled in the apex court, one from the bar and one from the bench whereby the then law minister himself showed candidacy and succeeded to appoint himself as judge in the chief court of GB by passing merit.

This time too the chief secretary GB has crossed all limits and has prepared a summary whereby nominating a panel of lawyers from the bar that is purely based on nepotism whereby ignoring most senior and highly-qualified lawyers which is against merit. Although there is an institution known to be the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) whose duty is to appoint judges in the apex court but in case of appointing judges in chief court GB, the LJCP is silent which is questionable.

Taqdir Ali Khan
Karachi