JCP meeting to discuss elevation of high court judges to SC deferred without decision.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Thursday held a 'detailed discussion' on the elevation of five high court judges to the Supreme Court but deferred its meeting without a decision in order to acquire more information about existing candidates and maybe even consider other names.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial presided over the JCP meeting, which considered the elevation of Justice Shahid Waheed of the Lahore High Court, Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Qaiser Rasheed Khan and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi as well as Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiq and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto - both of the Sindh High Court.

The decision regarding the deferral of the meeting was conveyed in a press release issued by the apex court's Public Relations Officer Shahid Hussain Kamboyo.

'The names of all five hon'ble judges proposed by the hon'ble chief justice of Pakistan were considered by the JCP,' the statement said. 'After detailed discussion, it was proposed by the chairman JCP to defer the meeting in order to enable the chief justice to place additional information and data about those already proposed and if he considers appropriate, add more names to the list of proposees for consideration by the JCP.

'The proposal to defer the meeting was supported by Mr Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Mr Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Mr Justice (Retd) Sarmad Jalal Osmany and the attorney general for Pakistan. It was accordingly decided to defer the meeting. The date of the next meeting will be communicated to the members of the Judicial Commission by the chairman, JCP.'

The SC spokesperson's statement came shortly after media outlets claimed that the JCP voted against the elevation of the aforementioned judges 5-4.

CJP, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and former SC judge Sarmad Jalal Osmany voted in favour of the judges' elevation while Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf, Law Minister Azam Tarar and Pakistan Bar Council's (PBC) representative Akhtar Hussain voted against, the reports added.

The positions of judges at the apex court had fallen vacant after the retirement of Justice Mushir Alam, former chief justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Maqbool Baqar and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel.

The apex court is currently functioning with 13 judges against a sanctioned strength of 17. Justice Sajjad Ali Shah will reach superannuation next August.

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