WTP Report
ISLAMABAD : Senior Judge Supreme Court, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah questions Chief Justice of Pakistan ahead judicial conference.In his letter written by him to the Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, raising six key questions ahead of the Judicial Conference scheduled for September 8.
In his letter, Justice Shah asked the Chief Justice to respond publicly, saying such answers would restore confidence among both judges and the public.
“Your response will assure everyone that your reforms are transparent and in line with the Constitution. Please don’t take this as a letter from a disgruntled or emotional person – it is a call of duty,” he wrote.
Justice Shah pointed out that he had disposed of 3,956 cases and authored 35 reported judgments during the CJP’s tenure, stressing that his concerns were institutional, not personal.
He complained that benches were being formed unilaterally, cause lists were being issued without consultation, and senior judges were often sidelined while junior judges were given more prominent roles.
He asked why matters of national importance were not being assigned to senior judges and why rosters were being sent for signatures without proper discussion.
He also questioned why the Practice and Procedure Committee had not been convened, why Supreme Court rules were approved through circulation instead of a full court, and why changes in dissent note policies were made through individual consultations.
Other questions raised in the letter included why were general orders issued regarding judges’ vacations? why was a full court not formed to hear petitions against the 26th Constitutional Amendment? And why are senior judges being sidelined instead of being trusted with key cases?
Justice Shah noted that pending cases had risen to 57,000, and appointments of additional judges appeared aimed at managing internal balance rather than clearing the backlog.
He warned that the constitutional role of the Chief Justice’s office itself had come into question after the 26th Amendment.
Ending on a hopeful note, Justice Shah wrote: “I still trust you. At the start of this new judicial year, by answering these questions you can make a fresh start.”
