Govt-Presidency deadlock over judges’ appointment ‘close to resolution’

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are locked in a constitutional dispute over judicial appointments. Last month, the Judicial Commission recommended nineteen additional judges and the confirmation of five others. Sharif forwarded the summary to Zardari for approval, but the President has neither approved it nor returned it for reconsideration—something the Constitution requires him to do within a specific timeframe. Per Dawn, the delay is already damaging the court system: judges have begun losing their positions as tenures expired without formal notification. The Islamabad High Court is now demanding explanations of the constitutional holdup. But sources say the two sides' legal teams have held positive talks recently, and resolution is likely within the next few days.

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