In a surprising move just days before his retirement, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial has appointed deputationist judicial officer Abdul Razzaque as Supreme Court Registrar on a deputation basis. The appointment, made through a notification issued on Wednesday, has sparked controversy and questions regarding the timing and consultation process.
Abdul Razzaque, currently serving as an additional registrar in the Supreme Court, previously worked as a district and sessions judge. He has been appointed to the position with immediate effect and will receive a deputation allowance of 20% of his basic pay, up to a maximum of Rs20,000 per month, in addition to other usual allowances applicable to court employees.
The controversy surrounding this appointment revolves around the alleged lack of proper consultation with Chief Justice-designate Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to assume office in the near future. Sources claim that Justice Isa was not adequately consulted before the decision was made.
CJP Bandial’s preference for appointing a judicial officer as the Supreme Court Registrar differs from a previous appointment in which Justice Isa objected to the selection of a civil servant for the role. Abdul Razzaque’s close association with ex-CJP Mian Saqib Nisar and his camp has also raised eyebrows.
While officials close to CJP Bandial’s camp insist that the appointment was made with mutual consultation, it is emphasized that this arrangement is temporary.
This situation mirrors a similar controversy from the previous year when CJP Bandial appointed a civil servant as the SC Registrar, leading to objections from Justice Isa. In a letter to CJP Bandial at that time, Justice Isa highlighted that such an appointment violated the Constitution and compromised the independence and separation of powers between the judiciary and the executive.
“I have also repeatedly objected to, and in writing, that a bureaucrat, imported from the prime minister’s Secretariat, continues as the Registrar of the Supreme Court. It is widely perceived that he determines which cases are fixed, when and before whom, and which are to be forgotten. A Registrar cannot be a person borrowed/deputed from the Executive,” read the letter written by Justice Isa last year.
Justice Isa further emphasized the importance of upholding the Constitution and maintaining the independence of the judiciary.
The controversial appointment of Abdul Razzaque as Supreme Court Registrar has raised questions about the potential consequences for the institution, with lawyers and legal experts expressing their surprise and concerns over the timing and consultation process. As CJP Bandial prepares to retire, the controversy surrounding this appointment is likely to continue to unfold in the coming days.
