In his letter, he expressed dissatisfaction with the recent selection process for Supreme Court judges.
Court Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Senior Supreme Court advocate Akhtar Hussain has resigned from his position as a member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), citing concerns over controversies surrounding judicial appointments.
Hussain, who was nominated thrice by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), submitted his resignation to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, who heads the commission.
In his letter, he expressed dissatisfaction with the recent selection process for Supreme Court judges.
“On present controversies with regard to judicial appointments, I am unable to continue and, hereby, resign as a member of JCP,” he wrote, requesting the PBC to nominate a new representative in his place.
Despite stepping down, Hussain assured his continued support for judicial independence and democratic institutions.
The resignation comes shortly after the JCP appointed six new judges to the Supreme Court, a move that sparked criticism from some legal and political circles.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and two senior Supreme Court judges boycotted the process, raising questions about its transparency.
Earlier this month, the Judicial Commission sought nominations from high courts across the country, asking for lists of five senior judges from each.
However, disputes over seniority and transfers—particularly in the Islamabad High Court (IHC)—led to internal dissent.
A group of IHC judges formally challenged the revised seniority list, arguing that a recently transferred judge should be placed at the bottom of the list instead of being considered for immediate promotion.
Hussain’s departure is the latest challenge for the 13-member Judicial Commission, which was restructured under the 26th Constitutional Amendment to include four lawmakers.
