President Zardari appoints chief justices of high courts

President Asif Ali Zardari appointed the chief justices to the four high courts on Monday.

Letters from the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) last week said that Justice Sarfraz Dogar was nominated as the new chief justice of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Rozi Khan Barrech as the chief justice for the Balochistan High Court, Justice Syed Muhammad Attique Shah for the Peshawar High Court and Justice Junaid Ghaffar for the Sindh High Court.

The JCP had held four consecutive meetings to make a decision related to the appointments and, by a majority of its total membership in each meeting, opted to allow the acting chief justices to continue serving the top roles.

Four identical notifications from the law ministry said that the president appointed the chief justices, with effect from the date they take their oath of office, under clause (1) of Article 193 of the Constitution.

Article 193 outlines the process for the appointment of high court judges.

The chief justices are likely to take the oath sometime this week. Sources had said the notifications were expected today and the top judges may take oath the following day.

President Zardari would administer the oath to Justice Dogar at the Presidency, while the chief justices of the other high courts would take the oath from the respective governors.