Islamabad: Justice (retd) Tariq Masood and Justice (retd) Mazhar Alam Miankhel were sworn in as Supreme Court’s ad hoc judges by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa for period of one year.

Oath-taking ceremony, attended by other SC judges and Attorney General for Pakistan  Mansoor Usman Awan, comes after President Asif Ali Zardari approved their appointments under Article 182 of Constitution in apex court. Justice (retd) had initially Miankhel’s refused to become an ad hoc judge of apex court, citing “Personal reasons” becoming third judge to turn down proposal. Before him, Justice (retd) Mushir Alam and Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar had also turned down offer to become ad hoc judge of apex court. It is to be noted that retired judge can be appointed ad hoc judge for period of three years or less. Appointment of ad hoc judges, as per top court itself, is aimed at ensuring more cases are decided than instituted and to reduce pendency of cases. As per statistics reflected in bi-annual report of Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, number of pending cases in courts surged to 2.26 million during second half of year 2023, increasing overall pendency of cases by 3.9 percent. Report revealed that 82 percent of pending cases (1.86 million) were at district judiciary level and remaining 18 percent (0.39 million cases) were at upper tier, including SC, Federal Shariat Court and high courts. As per report, 2.38 million new cases were filed during period, while courts managed to decide 2.30 million cases.