Supreme Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah has sent another letter to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi ahead of the start of the new judicial year, placing six key questions before him.
Justice Mansoor asked why the meeting of the Practice and Procedure Committee was not called to fulfil legal obligations. He also questioned why amendments to the rules were approved through circulation. He raised concern over a new policy on dissenting notes introduced without discussion in a full court.
The letter further questioned why a new order regarding judges’ leave was issued in a manner seen as conflicting with judicial independence. It asked why petitions against the Twenty-sixth Constitutional Amendment were not listed before a full court.
In his letter, Justice Mansoor asked whether the Chief Justice was granting judges independence or turning the court into a regimented force. He pointed out that benches were being formed unilaterally and cause lists issued without consultation, while judges' rosters were being sent for signature without prior discussion.
He also questioned why senior judges were being assigned to two-member benches while junior judges were placed on three-member benches. Furthermore, he asked why cases of national importance were not being fixed before senior judges.
Justice Mansoor urged the chief justice to respond publicly to these questions at the judicial conference scheduled for September 8. He said he was writing this letter as the most senior judge of the institution and had not received any reply to previous letters.
According to Justice Mansoor, a public response would provide confidence to both judges and the public, and offer assurance that reforms are transparent and constitutional. He concluded by saying that the letter should not be viewed as personal or written by an affected individual.
