Constitutional bench denies pension claim by former SHC judge Salman Ansari
Bench says previous judgements did not support his claim: Salman Ansari was appointed additional judge in 2007 but did not take oath under PCO
A constitutional bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday rejected a constitutional petition filed by former judge Salman Ansari seeking recognition as a high court judge and the release of pension and other related benefits.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the petitioner had asked the court to recognise his former judicial status and grant him all benefits and pension associated with the office.
The constitutional bench consisted of Justice Adnan Karim and Justice Jafar Raza. Justice Jafar Raza authored the judgement. The constitutional bench ruled that the petitioner was not entitled to a pension in light of previous court judgements.
The court noted that Salman Ansari had been appointed as an additional judge of the Sindh High Court in 2007 but had not taken an oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
According to the judgement, he was removed from office in 2009 in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling in the Sindh High Court Bar Association case.
On September 18, 2027, the national print media reported that a day ago, on September 17, six additional judges of the SHC, including Salman Ansari, were administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed.
The oath-taking ceremony was held at the SHC judges’ library and was attended by judges and advocates, including Bar representatives. President Musharraf appointed the additional judges on September 15 for a period of one year.
The Constitutional Benches of the SHC handle matters related to constitutional interpretation, enforcement of fundamental rights, and original jurisdiction under Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Constitutional benches were instituted following legislative updates and provincial enactments like the Constitutional Benches of High Court of Sindh (Practice and Procedure) Act, aligning with structural changes in Pakistan's superior judiciary.
These specialised benches exclusively hear constitutional petitions, public interest litigation, and matters involving jurisdictional boundaries or statutory challenges throughout Sindh.
The SHC Roster Sittings regularly update separate cause lists and schedules for both regular benches (RB) and constitutional benches (CB).
Reporter: Shaukat Korai