In light of the 26th Amendment approved by parliament last month, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has constituted a seven-member constitutional bench under Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi-led judicial commission constituted the bench in 7-5 split decision, with a majority of the members voting in favour of the constitutional bench.
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Sources claimed that CJP Afridi, senior-most judges Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar and opposition PTI members Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz opposed the decision.
The constitutional bench includes judges from all provinces; Justice Amin-ud-Din 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 newly-appointed chief justice chaired the first meeting after the reconstitution of the top judicial body in line with the 26th Amendment.
The meeting was attended by senior puisne judge Justice Shah, Justice Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-din, 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.
