ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has finally approved the appointment of additional judges to various high courts and confirmed several additional judges as permanent judges.
According to reports, the president approved the appointment of additional judges to the Lahore, Sindh, Peshawar, Islamabad and Balochistan high courts. He also approved the confirmation of certain additional judges of the Lahore and Sindh high courts as permanent judges.
President Zardari further approved amendments concerning the leave, pension and other benefits of high court judges under the 1997 order.
He also approved a proposal to bring the salaries, allowances and pensions of Supreme Court judges on a par with those of judges of the Federal Constitutional Court.
Separately, Haroon Akhtar has been approved for appointment as the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Industries and Production.
The approvals are expected to pave the way for the oath-taking of the newly appointed judges. The Judicial Commission had recommended the appointment of 19 additional judges during its meetings held on July 20 and 21. It had also recommended the confirmation of five additional judges and an extension for one judge.
The delay in signing the summaries concerning the judges had also become the subject of a petition before the Islamabad High Court. The court had sought responses from the federal government and the Ministry of Law regarding the matter.
With the president’s approval and signatures on the judges’ appointments, the issue is expected to be resolved, potentially making the related proceedings before the Islamabad High Court ineffective.
