ISLAMABAD – The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has formed a seven-member constitutional bench, nominating Justice Aminuddin Khan as its head.
The Commission constituted the bench, which will hear constitutional pleas, in light of the 26th Amendment passed by parliament last month amid protest by opposition.
The constitutional bench was constituted with 7-5 majority decision as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi chaired meeting of the 12-member judicial commission.
CJP Afridi, senior-most judges Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar and opposition PTI members Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz voted against the decision.
The bench, which has representation from all provinces, includes Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Ayesha Malik from Punjab, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi from Sindh, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan from Balochistan and Justice Musarrat Hilali from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s meeting was attended by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin, Senator Farooq H Naek, MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, MNA Omar Ayub, Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Senator Shibli Faraz, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, and Pakistan Bar Council representative Akhtar Hussain.