Supreme Court to Hold Judicial Commission Meeting for Appointment of 8 New Judges Amid Security Concerns

The Judicial Commission is set to meet today to discuss the appointment of 8 new judges to the Supreme Court, with heightened security measures in place due to expected protests by lawyers. In response to the anticipated reaction from the legal community, extraordinary security arrangements have been made, particularly around Constitution Avenue and the Supreme Court.

Lawyers across the country have called for a protest against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which has led to the deployment of a heavy police presence within the Supreme Court complex. On Constitution Avenue, only Margalla Road remains open, while the newly constructed Jinnah Underpass has been closed with containers to prevent access.

As the Judicial Commission convenes to consider the appointment of the new judges, a group of lawyers has announced a march towards the Supreme Court in protest. Senior lawyer Hamid Khan, who leads a faction of lawyers opposing the amendment, has been vocal against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, calling it an infringement on the judiciary’s independence.

In a recent exclusive interview with V News, Hamid Khan explained that nearly all lawyers are united against the amendment, which he believes primarily benefits the current judges. Khan emphasized that the lawyers will gather at the Supreme Court on February 10 to stage their protest.

Meanwhile, key legal bodies such as the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Association, and Sindh High Court Bar Association have rejected the strike call. In a joint statement, these organizations condemned attempts by politically motivated individuals within the lawyer community to sabotage the Judicial Commission meeting.

The statement asserted that elected representatives of the legal community stand firm in support of judicial independence, and they fully back the proceedings of the Judicial Commission. It further stated that the 26th Constitutional Amendment was passed in accordance with the law, and only elected legal organizations have the authority to call for a strike.