PTI takes stand against govt, boycotts CJP appointment meeting

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced its decision to boycott the meeting of the Special Parliamentary Committee tasked with appointing the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).

The maiden meeting of the special parliamentary committee to appoint the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for a three-year term will be held today at 4 pm.

This move came after the National Assembly Secretariat formed a 12-member committee comprising members from both government and opposition benches to oversee the appointment process, which was in line with the recently enacted 26th Constitutional Amendment.

The PTI’s decision was made during a crucial meeting of the party’s political committee, led by the party founder Imran Khan. The party has expressed strong reservations about the amendment and warned that members who supported it would face disciplinary action, including cancellation of their basic party membership.

Additionally, show-cause notices will be issued to parliamentarians who have severed ties with the party. The PTI will seek explanations from those who have maintained contacts with government circles, and the party will decide the fate of these members based on their responses.

The 12-member Special Parliamentary Committee includes representatives from various parties, such as PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, and PTI.

The committee is scheduled to hold an in-camera sitting at the Parliament House to finalize the name of the next chief justice among the three senior-most judges: Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Yahya Afridi.

Under the newly enacted law, the CJP’s term has been fixed at three years unless they reach retirement age (65), resign, or are removed.

The selection process will no longer be based solely on seniority; instead, the choice will be made among the three most senior judges. Even if top jurists haven’t reached 65, they will still retire after completing their three-year tenure.

The PTI’s boycott marks a significant development in Pakistan’s political landscape, as the coalition government prepares to select a new CJP ahead of Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s retirement on October 25. This move highlights the ongoing tensions between the PTI and the ruling coalition.