Supreme Court Welcomes Two New Judges to Constitutional Bench

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench has expanded with the inclusion of Justice Aqeel Abbasi and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, following approval from the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP).

The commission, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, convened at the Supreme Court on Thursday to deliberate on the nomination of these two justices for the Constitutional Bench. All members of the commission were present at the meeting.

According to an official statement from the apex court, Justice Abbasi and Justice Najafi were nominated for the constitutional bench by a majority vote, bringing the bench’s total strength to 15.

Information suggests that Justice Abbassi’s nomination received eight votes, while Justice Najafi secured two votes within the commission.

Sources indicate that Barrister Gohar Ali and Barrister Senator Ali Zafar, representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the commission, abstained from voting for either of the nominated judges.

Reportedly, the PTI members advocated for the establishment of guidelines before inducting judges into the constitutional bench. Furthermore, the PTI representatives reportedly suggested Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Shahid Waheed based on their seniority.

A full court meeting, also chaired by CJP Afridi, took place at the Supreme Court on Thursday. Discussions covered the Pakistan Bar Council’s recommendations regarding the enrollment of former high court judges as Supreme Court advocates, the right to access information, the asset declaration process, and the draft Supreme Court Rules, 2025. Appropriate directives were subsequently issued.

The judges collectively provided their insights and opinions. The Supreme Court Rules Amendment Committee and the registrar’s office received special recognition for their efforts.

The participants unanimously agreed to schedule another full court meeting in the near future to further support the ongoing reform initiatives within the Supreme Court.