Bar vows to resist IHC's relocation

The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) on Friday firmly announced its intention to oppose any attempt to relocate the High Court building, asserting, "Should we be cornered, we will resist. We must not be pushed into any reckless undertaking."

The Bar's president, while advocating for the transfer of the Federal Constitutional Court, proposed that it be relocated to the building presently housing the Federal Shariat Court. "The Federal Shariat Court handles fewer cases; its workload can easily be accommodated by the High Court," he stated.

In a press conference, Wajid Ali Gilani, the President of the IHCBA, emphasised that the interests of Pakistan and its Constitution must remain the guiding principles. He recalled the time when Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was deposed by Pervez Musharraf, following which the IHC was established. Subsequently, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) formally constituted the High Court through an Act of Parliament.

Gilani elaborated that, in its initial phase, the IHC had operated from the District Courts building. Justice Shaukat Siddiqui was entrusted with identifying a suitable site for the High Court. When Justice Siddiqui selected the current location, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) raised objections, claiming that the plot had already been allocated.

Justice Siddiqui demanded to see the relevant records, and as a result of his persistence, the plot was ultimately secured for the High Court.

He further explained that the 26th Constitutional Amendment led to the establishment of the Supreme Court's Constitutional Bench, and the 27th Amendment resulted in the creation of the Federal Constitutional Court - the nation's highest court of constitutional authority, which is ultimately expected to be housed within the Supreme Court building.

The IHC Chief Justice had temporarily offered space in the adjacent Facilitation Centre for the Federal Constitutional Court to function. The ground floor of this centre has been allocated to the High Court Bar, with the Prosecutor General's Office and a library also located within the same building.

Gilani praised the efforts of Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar in the completion of the Facilitation Centre's construction, stressing that the Bar does not seek confrontation with either the government or any institution.

At the press conference, the Bar's Secretary, Manzoor Ahmed Jajja, warned that any attempt to shift the High Court from its current location would be met with resistance. "The Islamabad High Court is fully functional in its own premises. Why should it be moved?" he queried.