IHC judge for adding more items to full court meeting agenda

Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan has called for adding more items to the agenda of the full court meeting, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

In his two-page letter prior to the meeting, the judge has written that the Practice and Procedure rules were sent to the judges one-and-a-half day before the meeting to elicit their opinion about them. “Judges should have been given a presentation on the adoption of these rules,” he has said, adding, “Now it appears as if the meeting, which has been called, is only for a formality.”

In the letter, Justice Ejaz has expressed his inability to give any meaningful opinion on these rules. 

He has questioned why the Gazette of Practice and Procedure Rules was issued sans the approval of the full court, saying in this situation, all steps taken under the rules could be declared illegal. 

He has demanded that the issue of not including senior judges in the administrative committee should also be taken up at the meeting.  

Similarly, he has said that the matter of making it binding on judges to obtain NOCs from the chief justice prior to going abroad should also be discussed by the judges. “Because under no law should a judge obtain an NOC for travelling abroad,” he has said, adding, “Now the chief justice will decide whether judges will spend their vacations in Pakistan or abroad.”

Likewise, Justice Ejaz has pointed out that there are several orders regarding the composition of benches. “This matter should also be taken up for discussion at the meeting.”

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani