Pak legal fraternity threatens boycott on elevation of 1st woman SC judge

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) Pakistan's legal fraternity has called on Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed to postpone Thursday's meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan to consider the elevation of Justice Ayesha A. Malik of the Lahore High Court (LHC) to the apex court, Dawn news reported.

In case the meeting is not called off, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and all bar associations would boycott all court proceedings, from the superior judiciary to the lower courts.

This was announced by PBC Vice Chairman Khushdil Khan and PBC Executive Committee Chairman Muhammad Masood Chishti and others after a representative meeting on Monday.

Thursday's session of the JCP was summoned after the Chief Justice once again proposed the name of Justice Malik for elevation.

The last time this question came before the JCP on September 9, 2021, a lack of consensus during an extended meeting forced the commission to defer the appointment of Justice Malik, who is fourth in the seniority order of the LHC, to enter the Supreme Court as the first-ever woman judge in the country's judicial history.