Omar Ayub steps down as JCP member, nominates Gohar as successor

• Opposition leader says he took decision after careful consideration. 
• Decision necessitated by multitude of FIRs, cases against me: Omar
• PTI leader confident Barrister Gohar will be valuable asset to JCP.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan tendered his resignation as the member of Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), citing ‘multiple’ FIRs and legal cases against him as the reason, The News reported on Wednesday

The politician forwarded his resignation to NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday, bearing date of December 3, and nominated PTI Chairman and member of NA Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, to succeed him in the commission.

“I am writing to formally tender my resignation as a member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. This decision has been taken after careful consideration and is necessitated by the multitude of FIRs and legal cases filed against me, which require my immediate and undivided attention.

“The current legal challenges hinder my ability to serve the Commission effectively, and I believe it is in the best interest of the institution to allow someone with a clear focus to assume this vital role,” he wrote in the resignation on Tuesday.

Omar expressed confidence that Barrister Gohar will be a valuable asset to the commission because of his legal acumen, integrity, and dedication.

He requested the NA speaker that his resignation may be processed at the earliest convenience and the necessary arrangements be made for the nomination of Barrister Gohar as Member of the JCP.

The opposition leader has been embroiled in a number of cases registered under alleged terrorism, violent protests and other charges, linked to PTI’s legal battles against the government. 

He had been nominated along four other lawmakers from the upper and lower houses last month, following the reconstitution of the forum after enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. 

The 13-member body is headed by the chief justice of Pakistan and consists of two senators, two MNAs, three senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, most senior judge of the constitutional bench, the federal minister for Law and Justice, the attorney general for Pakistan, an advocate not having experience of less than 15 years of practice in the apex court, nominated by the Pakistan Bar Council for two years.

The JCP is tasked with appointing judges to the Supreme Court, high courts, and Federal Shariat Court and oversee the performance of high court judges and prepare their annual performance evaluations.