Justice Babar Sattar Appointed as Judge Despite Green Card Controversy

Islamabad, Pakistan: The SJC has approved the appointment of Justice Babar Sattar as a judge, although the controversy is going on in Sattar’s green card status. The news has sparked debates as some are raising questions about the decision of SJC, other are supporting it.

The SJC said in the reply to Senator Faisal Vawda’s letter that Justice Sattar told Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial about his green card in the initial stages of his nomination. The council mentioned in its statement that the green card is not a disqualification for judgeship.

The SJC asserts that dual nationality or residency does not disqualify a person from being a judge in Pakistan. Council stressed that the information was disclosed themselves about the green card of Justice Sattar and they openly discussed this issue.

This move has sparked a wide discussion. Some people say that the green card puts a question mark on the loyalty of Justice Sattar and can raise questions about his impartiality while others are of the opinion that there is no need to get into personal details and we should see the qualification of Justice Sattar. The debate is still ongoing, however, it simply emphasizes the dire need for transparency and clear guidelines for dual nationality or residency in judicial appointments.