ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the appointment of additional judges to several high courts, along with the confirmation of certain additional judges as permanent judges.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency, President Zardari approved the appointment of additional judges to the Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court and Peshawar High Court.
The president also approved the appointment of additional judges to the Islamabad High Court and Balochistan High Court. In addition, he approved the confirmation of certain additional judges of the Sindh High Court and Lahore High Court as permanent judges.
The appointments and confirmations are part of the constitutional process for strengthening the judicial structure and filling vacant positions in the country’s superior courts.
The Presidency said that the relevant appointments were approved in accordance with the recommendations and procedures provided under the Constitution. The appointment of additional judges is intended to help courts deal with their workload and ensure the effective functioning of the judicial system.
In another important decision, President Zardari approved measures to bring the salaries, allowances and pensions of Supreme Court judges at par with those of judges of the Federal Constitutional Court.
The approval covers the financial and retirement-related benefits of Supreme Court judges and seeks to establish parity between the two superior judicial institutions.
The president also approved amendments to the 1997 order relating to the leave, pension and other privileges of high court judges.
The amendments are aimed at updating the existing framework governing the benefits and entitlements of judges serving in the high courts. The changes cover matters relating to leave, pensions and other privileges available to members of the higher judiciary.
The decisions regarding judicial appointments and judges’ benefits come amid continued efforts to strengthen the institutional framework of Pakistan’s superior judiciary.
The high courts play a central role in dealing with constitutional, civil and criminal matters, as well as cases involving fundamental rights and administrative decisions. The appointment of additional judges is therefore significant for ensuring that courts have sufficient judicial capacity to deal with pending and newly filed cases.
The confirmation of additional judges as permanent judges also provides continuity to the judicial system and allows judges who have served in an additional capacity to continue their responsibilities on a permanent basis, subject to the applicable constitutional requirements.
The Presidency did not provide individual details of all the judges covered by the appointments and confirmations in the announcement. However, it confirmed that the Lahore, Sindh, Peshawar, Islamabad and Balochistan high courts were included in the latest decisions.
In addition to the judicial matters, President Asif Ali Zardari also approved the appointment of Haroon Akhtar as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production.
Haroon Akhtar’s appointment adds another political and administrative figure to the federal government’s economic and industrial policy team. The Industries and Production Division deals with matters related to industrial development, manufacturing, productivity, investment and policies aimed at strengthening the country’s industrial sector.
The president’s approval of the appointment follows the constitutional and administrative procedure for the appointment of advisers to the prime minister.
The latest decisions cover several important areas of governance, including judicial appointments, financial benefits for superior court judges and the federal government’s economic administration.
The approval of judicial appointments is expected to contribute to the functioning of the country’s higher judiciary by filling positions and confirming judges who have already been serving in an additional capacity.
At the same time, the changes relating to judges’ salaries, allowances, pensions and other privileges are aimed at aligning the financial framework for Supreme Court judges with that applicable to judges of the Federal Constitutional Court.
The amendments concerning high court judges’ leave, pensions and privileges will also update the legal and administrative framework that has been in place since 1997.
The Presidency’s announcement highlights the president’s role in completing constitutional and formal processes concerning appointments to the superior judiciary.
With the latest approvals, the relevant authorities can proceed with the formal notifications and implementation of the decisions in accordance with the law.
The appointment of additional judges, confirmation of permanent judges and changes in judicial benefits collectively represent significant administrative decisions concerning Pakistan’s higher judicial structure.
Meanwhile, the appointment of Haroon Akhtar as Prime Minister’s Adviser on Industries and Production is expected to bring additional focus to industrial policy and production-related matters at the federal level.
The decisions were formally approved by President Asif Ali Zardari following the recommendations and procedures applicable to each matter.
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