New judicial policy put judiciarys freedom at stake, Punjab AG tells SC

The apex court resumed hearing of petitions challenging some clauses of 18th amendment on Monday. During the course of hearing, Punjab Advocate General Khawaja Harris argued that the right of veto power to the parliamentary committee regarding the appointment of judges is against the freedom of judiciary. Harris contended that the Executives role in appointment of judges is limited to release notifications only, adding that law minister, attorney general and representative of Bars are people who have nothing to do with judiciary directly. Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday questioned that the commission would comprise seven members, but who would nominate the judges. AG contended that the new judicial policy would hit snags at every step and urged the court to scrap Article 175, and added that the move would restore the old system automatically. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed that free judiciary is an important pillar of state, adding that fettered judiciary could not check other institutions.