AAJ TV : Pakistan Ki Awaz

ISLAMABAD : A constitutional petition seeking instruction from the Federation through Ministry of Law and Justice to expedite process for appointment of judges to the superior and higher judiciary was filed here on Tuesday in the Supreme Court.

Nadeem Ahmed, an advocate from Karachi, through his counsel Muhammad Akram Sheikh, in his petition said that the respondent has been so far avoiding to appoint new judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts despite its constitutional obligation.

The number of Judges is 15 against strength of 17 in the Supreme Court. The notified strength of Judges in Lahore High Court is 60, against which only 24 are there, which is less than half of the notified strength, in Sindh High Court too, there are only 18 Judges, which is less than half of the notified strength of 40 and in Peshawar High Court, against a sanctioned strength of 20, the High Court is working with only 11 Judges. In Balochistan High Court, against a total strength of 8 judges, only five Judges have been working, he said in his plea.

He prayed to Court to direct the respondent to perform its constitutional duty by immediately appointing all judges and to find the reasons for alleged violation of Articles 177, 182 and 193 of the constitution.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2010