Categories Courts

IHC Sees Flurry of Changes with Arrival of New Judges

Days after five judges of the Islamabad High Court opposed transfer of Justice Sarfaraz Dogar from Lahore High Court on Monday Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Capital’ High Court – a senior pusine judge –  name has been delisted from the top decision making committee.

According to a notification on Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) administration reconstituted the Administrative Committee and Departmental Promotion Committee. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq remains the chairman, with Justice Sarfraz Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro inducted as members. Previously, Justice Kayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb were part of this committee.

Furthermore, the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) has also been modified; it now comprises Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan. Earlier, the DPC comprised Justice Kayani and Justice Aurangzeb. The changes were formalised through a notification issued by Additional Registrar Ijaz Ahmed following the approval of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

The IHC administration also formally notified Justice Dogar as the senior puisne judge of the Islam­abad High Court. The administration also revi­sed its seniority list and the changes were impleme­nted after receiving appro­val from Chief Jus­tice Aamir Farooq, with separate notifications issued by the registrar’s office.

According to the official notification, Justice Sarfaraz Dogar has now been designated as the senior puisne judge of the IHC.  Dawn reported the updated seniority list : Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Jus­tice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, Justice Saman Rif­fat Imtiaz, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, Justice Mohammad Azam Khan, Justice Mohammad Asif and Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas.

On February 1, the president issued the notification for the transfer of justices Dogar, Soomro and Asif to the Islamabad High Court from the Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court, and Balochistan High Court, respectively.

Some lawyers bodies of Islamabad opposed the transfer and went on strike on Monday to protest the transfer. However, lawyers from other factions who pursued their cases, law officers from the attorney general’s office as well as prosecutors welcomed the new judges and presented bouquets to them.

On January 31, five IHC judges had opposed the transfer of Justice Dogar in a letter sent to the CJP, chief justices of the IHC, LHC, and SHC that a judge from another court was being transferred for his onward elevation as the IHC chief justice.

The incumbent IHC CJ, Aamer Farooq, is the most senior Chief Justice and is likely to be elevated to the Supreme Court. The Judi­cial Com­mission of Pakis­tan will meet on Feb 10 to consider high court judges for eight vacancies in the apex court.

The letter was signed by justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz. Interestingly, while the names of justices Miangul Aurangzeb and Arbab Tahir were also included in the letter, it did not bear their signatures.

The letter said since the 18th Amendment, no permanent high court transfers had taken place, reinforcing the autonomy of each high court.

A central concern raised by the IHC justices was that a transferred judge would be required to take a fresh oath under Article 194, which would place them at the bottom of the IHC seniority list.

This would render them ineligible for immediate consideration for the position of Chief Justice, contradicting the Judicial Commission of Pakistan Appointment Rules 2024, which mandate that the Chief Justice of a high court must be appointed from among the three senior-most judges of that court.

Author

The writer is an advocate High Court and contributes to Law Today

More From Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Justice Retired Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, Justice Retired Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, National Industrial Relations Commission, NIRC, Justice Retired Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, video link hearings, labour justice in Pakistan, industrial disputes, employer and workman rights, digital courts, online hearings Pakistan, labour court reforms, labour law Pakistan, Industrial Relations Act 2012, virtual courtrooms, legal innovation Pakistan, access to justice, remote hearings, federal labour court, trans-provincial jurisdiction, trade union rights, collective bargaining, unfair labour practices, judicial reforms Pakistan, Arbab Amjad, legal technology Pakistan, justice delivery system, court digitalisation, legal fraternity Pakistan, workplace dispute resolution, Chairman NIRC reforms, justice without delay

Fast-Track Labour Cases: NIRC Video Link Now Live Nationwide

In a groundbreaking move to modernize the delivery of justice in resolving industrial disputes between…

International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, PECA Pakistan, Supreme Court Pakistan, press freedom, journalist safety, Digital Rights Protection Authority, PECA Amendment 2025, FIA powers under PECA, online content regulation, media freedom Pakistan, freedom of expression, censorship in Pakistan, PFUJ, FIA Cybercrime Wing, Article 19 Constitution Pakistan, threats to journalists, journalist harassment, media union rights, Pakistan digital laws, cybercrime law, suppression of dissent, Islamabad High Court petition, media workers rights, journalist killings Pakistan, press freedom violations Pakistan, PECA judicial review

IFJ Urges SC to Examine Constitutionality of PECA, Terming It a Threat to Press Freedom

Global body of journalists ‘International Federation of Journalists’ (IFJ) urged Supreme Court of Pakistan to…

CCP, Competition Commission of Pakistan, cartel penalties, deceptive advertising, urea price fixing, poultry cartel, false advertising, misleading marketing, Section 10(2) Competition Act, FMPAC, fertilizer cartel, Kingdom Valley fine, Unilever Lifebuoy, Friesland Campina Engro, Hyundai Tucson ad, Al-Ghazi Tractors fuel claims, 3N Lifemed fake certification, Diamond Paints ad fine, British Lyceum ad penalty, anti-competitive practices, cartel crackdown, CCP enforcement, CAT Pakistan, consumer protection Pakistan, fair market competition, Dr. Kabir Sidhu CCP

CCP Imposes Rs1 Billion in Penalties on Cartels and Deceptive Advertisers

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) issued 12 major orders during FY 2024-25, imposing penalties…