IHC CJ notifies changes in seniority list of judges
Lawyers boycotted the proceedings at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday in protest against the transfer of three judges to the court, as the Chief Justice Aamer Farooq notified the change in the seniority list of the judges and reshuffled various judges committees.
According to bar representatives, 80% of the cases in the courts of different judges, including those recently transferred, because of the lawyers protest. Since the morning, bar representatives were encouraging the fellow lawyers to go on strike.
The judges strength at the IHC increased last week with the transfer of Justice Sarfaraz Dogar from the Lahore High Court, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro from the Sindh High Court, and Justice Muhammad Asif from the Balochistan High Court.
According to a notification, Justice Sarfaraz Dogar had become the senior puisne judge, while Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani would be the second senior-most judge, followed by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb in the third place.
Justice Tariq Jahangiri was in fourth place, Justice Babar Sattar fifth, Justice Sardar Ishaq Khan sixth, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir seventh, Justice Suman Riffat Imtiaz eighth, Justice Soomro ninth, Justice Azam Khan 10th, Justice Muhammad Asif 11th in and Justice Inam Amin Minhas 12th.
Meanwhile, the IHC administrative committee was also changed. Chief Justice Aamir Farooq remained the chairman of the administrative committee, while Senior Puisne Judge Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro would be its members.
The chief justice also changed the IHC departmental promotion committee. The new committee consisted of Senior Puisne Judge Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan, according to the notification issued by the additional registrar.
Meahwhile, most of the lawyers stayed away from the court proceedings, leading to the adjournments of the overwhelming majority of the cases. During the day, only government lawyers and petitioners appeared in court and took dates for the next hearings.
On Monday, only one case was scheduled for hearing in the court of Chief Justice Aamir Farooq. In the court of Justice Kayani, lawyers and petitioners appeared in some cases. The cases in the courts of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Jahangiri were adjourned due to the absence of lawyers.
In the courts of the newly-transferred judges, only law officers appeared before Justice Dogar and Justice Soomro. However, the arrival of Justice Asif was delayed. Three were cases three cases in the court of Justice Dogar and two in the court of Justice Asif.
SCBA
The Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) has welcomed the transfer of judges in the Islamabad High Court and said that Article 200 of the Constitution of Pakistan clearly and unequivocally allows the President of Pakistan to transfer a judge from one High Court to another.