LHC summons Maryam Nawaz on May 24 in Judges’ appointment case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has summoned Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on May 24 regarding the non-appointment of judges in special courts.

LHC Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan presided over the hearing today. In the previous hearing on May 17, 2024, concerning the appointment of judges in anti-terrorism courts, the Punjab Government’s Cabinet committee failed to satisfy the Chief Justice.

Rejecting the committee’s request for a list of judges, the Chief Justice directed the committee to submit a compliance report by May 20, 2024. Punjab Law Minister Sohaib Ahmed, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman appeared in court and requested a private hearing in the chamber, which was denied.

Advocate General Punjab Khalid Ishaq stated that traditionally, the Chief Justice sends a panel of three judges to the government for the appointment of special court judges. The Chief Justice questioned where this procedure is specified in the law, to which the Advocate General replied that it was a customary practice, though not an absolute rule.

The Advocate General, along with Marriyum Aurangzeb and Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, reiterated their request for a panel of three or four judges to facilitate the appointments.