The special parliamentary committee responsible for appointing Pakistan’s next Chief Justice has approved the nomination of Justice Yahya Afridi with a two-thirds majority. The committee’s decision has been forwarded to the prime minister for final approval, moving the process closer to formalization.
The committee’s meeting, which lasted over an hour and a half, was held on Tuesday. Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, had hosted a dinner for committee members prior to the meeting. The committee was initially hampered by the absence of key members, including those from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Sunni Ittehad Council, both of which boycotted the proceedings.
PTI’s decision to boycott the process was confirmed by Barrister Gohar Ali Khan after discussions with parliamentary representatives in the speaker’s chamber. Despite efforts by a subcommittee—comprising Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Ansar, Raja Pervez Ashraf, and Kamran Murtaza—to negotiate with PTI, the boycott persisted. PTI has voiced dissatisfaction with recent judicial decisions, leading to their reluctance to participate in the committee’s proceedings.
The committee, however, proceeded with the selection process in the absence of PTI and Sunni Ittehad Council members. The Secretary of Law and Justice presented the profiles of the three senior-most judges—Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Yahya Afridi—who were shortlisted for the role. After reviewing their qualifications, the committee selected Justice Afridi as the nominee.
Justice Afridi’s nomination now awaits final approval from the prime minister before being sent to the president for formalization. His appointment follows recent reforms in the process of selecting the Chief Justice, moving away from the automatic elevation of the senior-most judge. This change, aimed at reforming judicial appointments, has sparked concerns over the judiciary’s independence.
The boycott by PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council highlights ongoing political tensions over the judiciary’s role, with PTI citing dissatisfaction with the process as a key reason for their withdrawal.
