Judicial Commission Approves Appointment of Justice Aqeel Abbasi and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi to Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench

Islamabad:The *Judicial Commission of Pakistan* has approved the appointment of *Justice Aqeel Abbasi* and *Justice Ali Baqar Najafi* as judges for the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench. The approval was given during a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, chaired by *Chief Justice Pakistan Yahya Afridi*.

According to reports, the Commission discussed the nomination of two additional judges for the Constitutional Bench. Sources confirmed that Justice Aqeel Abbasi and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi were selected for the bench with a majority vote.

Justice Aqeel Abbasi’s nomination received 8 votes, while Justice Ali Baqar Najafi secured 7 votes, indicating strong support for their inclusion. However, there were objections from certain members of the Commission, including *Justice Mansoor Ali Shah* and *Justice Munib Akhtar*, who opposed the nomination of additional judges for the Constitutional Bench. *Barrister Ali Zafar* and *Barrister Gohar* also expressed dissent, arguing that rules should be formulated for the nomination of judges to the Constitutional Bench.

*Justice Jamal Mandokhail*, who heads the Rules Committee, refrained from participating in the voting process, stating that he could not give any opinion until the rules were finalized.

It was also noted that *Chief Justice Yahya Afridi* did not participate in the voting process for *Justice Ali Baqar Najafi*, but he cast his vote in favor of *Justice Aqeel Abbasi*’s inclusion in the Constitutional Bench.

With the inclusion of these two judges, the total number of judges on the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench has now reached 15.