Conflict of Interest Highlighted in Bench Members
Senior Supreme Court judge, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, has raised objections to the six-member bench formed to hear the intra-court appeal of Additional Registrar Nazar Abbas.
Justice Shah argued that Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar should not be part of the bench as they have a conflict of interest, being members of the committee that previously dealt with the matter.
The case pertains to Additional Registrar Abbas, who erroneously listed cases before the constitutional bench instead of a regular bench. A show-cause notice was issued against him, prompting Abbas to file an appeal requesting the suspension of contempt proceedings.
A six-member larger bench, led by Justice Mandokhail, was constituted to hear the appeal, but Justice Shah objected to its composition, stating that certain judges should have been excluded due to their prior involvement in the matter.
Justice Shah further noted procedural irregularities, highlighting that his opinion was not sought during the bench’s formation and that he was informed via WhatsApp late at night about its approval.
The objections underscore concerns about transparency and impartiality in the judicial process.
