Judges in the public queue

ISLAMABAD:

It was a scene rarely witnessed in the country's highest court. On Friday, five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) walked into the Supreme Court not through the usual back channels but side by side with the public, creating a view that blended drama with symbolism.

After depositing their national identity cards at the reception and placing visitor passes around their necks, the judges made their way through the same entrance used by ordinary litigants. A crowd of mobile phone cameras, already in place, captured their every step.

The five judges — Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — may have appeared without official announcement, but their arrival was no total surprise.

An unusually large number of journalists were already waiting inside the court premises, despite the fact that no political cases were listed that day, nor was any prominent leader expected.

Choosing a public route, the IHC judges walked across the courtyard and settled at the Supreme Court Facilitation Centre. There, each completed biometric verification and signed constitutional petitions. For over half an hour, the judges remained seated on the wooden benches of the facility, striking up casual conversation with staff.

In between light chatter, the judges inquired when their appeals would be fixed.

The staff explained that cases are typically fixed within 8-14 days, though objections might require personal appearance.

Justice Tariq Jahangiri responded with a hint of irony: "That's fine, we'll come. In any case, now it seems we'll be coming and going often."