ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the Special Parliamentary Committee has officially nominated Justice Yahya Afridi as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), succeeding the outgoing CJP, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire on October 25. Justice Afridi’s nomination comes after extensive deliberations within the parliamentary panel, formed to select the next CJP from among the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, addressing the media after the committee’s meeting, confirmed that Justice Afridi’s nomination had garnered a two-thirds majority and was forwarded to the Prime Minister for final approval. The selection process, Tarar remarked, exemplified the principles of democratic engagement, despite the absence of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members, who boycotted the proceedings.
The committee’s decision comes amid political tensions, with the SIC boycotting the process in line with PTI’s political stance. Despite efforts by senior government officials to persuade SIC members to attend, the boycott persisted. A sub-committee, including prominent figures such as Ahsan Iqbal and Raja Pervez Ashraf, was tasked with convincing the SIC to participate, but their attempts were ultimately in vain.
Speaking to the press, Ahsan Iqbal expressed regret over SIC’s decision to abstain from the committee’s proceedings, but he assured that the panel had the requisite majority to proceed. He reiterated that the committee had “left no stone unturned” in its bid to bring all stakeholders to the table, further underscoring the importance of unity in the democratic process.
The Special Parliamentary Committee, comprising members from both the government and opposition, reconvened after the boycott to finalize the nomination. With nine out of thirteen members present, the meeting proceeded to nominate Justice Afridi from a list of the three most senior judges, which included Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.
This nomination marks the first under the newly amended 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which altered the process of appointing the CJP. Previously, the senior-most judge automatically ascended to the position, but the amendment now vests this responsibility with the Special Parliamentary Committee.
As the countdown to the incumbent CJP’s retirement approaches, the government is racing to complete the appointment of Justice Yahya Afridi. The new CJP will be tasked with steering Pakistan’s judiciary during a critical time, navigating complex legal and political challenges that will define the future of the country’s legal landscape.