President Zardari approves appointment of additional judges

President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the appointment of additional judges to the Lahore, Sindh, Peshawar, Islamabad and Balochistan High Courts.

The appointment of 24 judges was pending approved by the JCP in two separate meetings, including recommendations for the appointment of three additional judges to the Islamabad High Court, 10 to the Lahore High Court (LHC), three to the Sindh High Court (SHC) and three to the Balochistan High Court (BHC). It also recommended the confirmation of four additional judges of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and a six-month extension in the tenure of an additional judge of the SHC.

The president also approved the confirmation of certain additional judges of the Sindh and Lahore High Courts as permanent judges.

In another decision, the salaries, allowances and pensions of Supreme Court judges were approved to be brought on a par with those of judges of the Federal Constitutional Court.

The president further approved amendments to the 1997 order governing leave, pensions and other privileges of High Court judges.

The appointment of Haroon Akhtar as the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Industries and Production was also approved.

Read more: IHC issues notices over delay in approval of summary for new judges

On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the President, Prime Minister and Ministry of Law and Justice over a petition challenging the delay in approval of a summary concerning the appointment of new judges.

The court directed the President and Prime Minister to respond through their respective secretaries and also sought a response from the Ministry of Law and Justice by Tuesday.