ISLAMABAD — A parliamentary committee has proposed Yahya Afridi, who ranks third in seniority among judges, to assume the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. This decision, which has emerged amid ongoing political tensions, effectively sidelines the two more senior judges, Mansoor Ali Shah and Munib Akhtar, from ascending to this prestigious role.

As per constitutional protocol, the government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is set to present a summary to President Asif Ali Zardari for Afridi’s official appointment as Chief Justice. Afridi emerged as the nominee following the committee’s recommendation, which reportedly secured approval with a two-thirds majority, according to Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Notably, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, chose to boycott the meeting where this decision was made. PTI is advocating for Shah’s appointment as the chief justice, highlighting its division with the current government.

This pivotal move by the government arrives just days before the retirement of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Esa and follows the recent parliamentary approval of contentious amendments to the constitution. These amendments have delegated the responsibility of appointing senior judges to a 12-member parliamentary panel, a change that has drawn criticism from various quarters, including Khan’s opposition party and segments of the legal community.

Individual lawyers have expressed their intent to protest should Shah not be appointed to the role, indicating the depth of discontent surrounding the recent decisions. Ahsan Iqbal, a Cabinet minister involved in the parliamentary committee, justified the selection of Afridi, asserting that it was an outcome achieved through majority support within the committee.

The political backdrop in Pakistan continues to be fraught, particularly since Khan’s ousting in a no-confidence vote in 2022, which has set off an ongoing crisis. Khan, currently incarcerated following a corruption conviction, is contending with an extensive legal battle involving more than 150 cases against him. Although some of his sentences have been overturned, he remains behind bars due to a plethora of unresolved legal issues, which complicate any potential release.