Islamabad High Court Bar Association Backs Petition Against Seniority Manipulation of Judges

The Islamabad High Court Bar Association has expressed its unwavering support for the constitutional petition filed in the Supreme Court by five judges of the Islamabad High Court regarding the manipulation of judicial seniority. The petition, filed under Article 184(3), challenges the transfer of judges in the High Court and deliberate alterations to the existing seniority list of judges.

The Bar Association has fully endorsed the petition filed by Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kiani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan, and Samina Rifat Imtiaz. The petition seeks to address concerns related to the intentional tampering with the seniority list and the transfers of judges that violate constitutional principles.

The Association condemned the interference of the administration in judicial matters, particularly the discretionary transfers of Justices Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, Khadim Hussain Soomro, and Muhammad Asif in the Islamabad High Court. This, according to the Bar, constitutes a clear violation of Article 200 of the Constitution.

President of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, Sate Ali Azad, emphasized that these transfers were deliberately designed to alter the seniority and administrative structure of the High Court without proper processes or the required oath-taking procedure. This, he claimed, undermines judicial independence and integrity.

While condemning administrative interference, the Bar Association argued that the petition filed by the five judges highlights significant risks to the judiciary’s independence, the supremacy of the Constitution, and the foundational principles and separation of powers within Pakistan’s democratic structure. The Association calls for the protection of judicial autonomy and accountability within the constitutional framework.