• Performance evaluation rules for high court judges deferred
• Chief justices, senior-most judges asked to submit comments within seven days

ISLAMABAD:The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Friday approved a set of rules governing interviews for judicial appointments, amendments to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, and criteria for the nomination of judges to constitutional benches of various high courts.

The meeting was presided over by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, who also serves as the chairperson of the JCP. The commission considered several agenda items, including the Interviews of Judges Appointment Rules, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Judicial Performance Evaluation of High Court Judges) Rules, 2026, amendments to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, and criteria for the nomination of judges to constitutional benches, all of which had been referred back by a committee for the commission’s consideration and decision.

The commission also considered a letter dated June 8, 2026, from the Balochistan Bar Council regarding amendments to the rules and procedures for the substitution of a nominee of a provincial bar council serving as a member of the JCP.

These agenda items had earlier been referred to a five-member JCP committee, which subsequently submitted its reports. The committee comprised Justice Aamer Farooq of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Awan, Senator Farooq H Naek, Senator Syed Ali Zafar, and Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon.

During the commission’s meeting on June 12, it was decided that these matters should be placed before the full JCP, including members representing the Federal Shariat Court and all high courts.

Earlier, the committee’s report on the interviews of judges amounted only to a policy decision and did not include a draft rule.

During the same meeting, it was observed that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Ap­­pointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, did not specifically provide a procedure for conducting interviews. The issue had come under discussion at the commission’s previous meeting last week (June 12) during deliberations on the assessment of prospective additional judges under the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Justice Munib Akhtar, a senior judge of the Supreme Court and a member of the JCP, opposed the proposal, arguing that the process would be impracticable, particularly if a large number of candidates were nominated, according to an informed source.

Article 175A(4) of the Constitution requires the JCP to formulate rules regulating its procedure, including the criteria and process for the assessment, evaluation, and determination of the fitness of candidates for judicial appointments.

On Friday, the commission approved the agenda items relating to the Interviews of Judges Appointment Rules, amendments to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, and the criteria for the nomination of judges to constitutional benches, in accordance with the recommendations of the committee constituted for the purpose.

However, the commission deferred consideration of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Judicial Performance Evaluation of High Court Judges) Rules, 2026.

The commission resolved to seek written comments and suggestions within seven days from the chief justices and the senior-most judges of all high courts who are members of the commission.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2026