The Supreme Court on Wednesday disposed of a contempt of court petition against the federal law secretary for not notifying a one-year extension in the services of six additional judges of the Lahore and Sindh high courts despite court orders after it was informed that the president had approved the extension and a notification had also been issued. A four-member special bench – comprising Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui, Justice Jawwad S Khwaja, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Amir Hani Muslim – was hearing two identical petitions filed by Munir Hussain Bhatti and the Sindh High Court Bar Association seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Law Secretary Masood Chishti for not issuing the notification despite SC orders.
Appearing on notice, Attorney General Moulvi Anwarul Haq informed the court that in compliance with the court’s order, the president had approved the one-year extension in the service of four additional judges of the LHC and two additional judges of the SHC. Besides, he said, the law secretary had also notified extension in the service of these judges. During the hearing, Justice Khwaja observed that the court had no bias against the government, however it wanted to protect the constitution and maintain rule of law.
Justice Siddiqui said, “We have to protect the system under the constitution.” He asked Makhdoom Ali Khan, counsel for one of the petitioners, whether he was satisfied with the decision of the government to which Khan expressed satisfaction and submitted that he was no more interested in pursuing the case after the government had notified the one-year extension. The court then disposed of the case. The judges who have been given one-year extension include, Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan, Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Yawar Ali of the LHC and Justice Salman Hamid and Justice Muhammad Tasnim of the SHC. Earlier, the Parliamentary Commission on appointment of judges had not accepted the recommendations of Judicial Commission to extend the tenure of the six additional judges.
