Islamabad: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Friday recommended names of three high court judges for elevation to the Supreme Court.
The JCP, which met under chair of Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, forwarded names of Lahore High Court Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Aqeel Abbasi, and LHC Justice Shahid Bilal to the Parliamentary Committee for the final approval.
The JCP was constituted under the 18th Constitutional Amendment mandated to appoint judges in the superior judiciary. The forum consider names of nine judges, including LHC chief justice and SHC chief justice, for filling the three vacant posts in the apex court.
As per the Constitution, the actual strength of judges of the Supreme Court is 17 while at present the apex court only has 14 judges including the CJP. The three posts fell vacant after the retirement of former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial and resignations of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.