Judicial Appointments in Pakistan

This essay discusses the landmark developments pertaining to judicial appointments in the last decade in Pakistan—particularly, Pakistan’s experiment with the commission model of appointments with the 18th Constitution Amendment, 2010 establishing the Judicial Commission of Pakistan comprising members from across the judiciary, political executive, and the bar. In a challenge to its validity, the Supreme Court of Pakistan upheld the 18th Amendment in District Bar Association, Rawalpindi v. Federation of Pakistan (District Bar Association). This essay discusses the appointments process in Pakistan that existed prior to the 18th Amendment, followed by a close examination of the judgment in District Bar Association. It argues that even though the 18th Amendment, which ushered in the commission model in Pakistan, was upheld, by means of interpretation, what the Supreme Court has upheld is different from the process envisaged by this Amendment.