Just days before the start of the new judicial year, senior Supreme Court judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah has written a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, asking him to answer six questions regarding “pressing institutional concerns”.
In a letter, Justice Shah posed six pointed questions to the CJP, urging him to respond publicly during the judicial conference scheduled for September 8.
“As the most senior judge after you, I write in discharge of my duty to the institution,” the letter stated.
Justice Shah noted that despite several earlier letters, he has received neither a written nor an oral response from the CJP.
Justice Shah questioned why the meeting of the Practice and Procedure Committee had not been convened, and why amendments to the Supreme Court Rules were approved through circulation rather than by a full court.
He further asked why individual consultations were held to change policy on issuing dissenting notes, why general orders were issued regarding judges’ leaves, and why a full court was not formed to hear the 26th Constitutional Amendment case.
The sixth and most critical query accused the CJP of fostering a controlled force instead of allowing judges to function with independence.
The judge also raised concerns over bench allocations, pointing out that senior judges were being assigned two-member benches while juniors were being given three-member benches.
He highlighted that cases of national importance were not being fixed before senior judges, adding that seniors were being sidelined “not for performance” but for control.
Justice Shah expressed hope that the Chief Justice would treat the judicial conference as an opportunity for institutional renewal.
He wrote that by responding to these questions, the CHP will reinforce the principles of collectivity and constitutional fidelity.
