Five Islamabad High Court Judges Challenge Supreme Court Ruling on Transfers and Seniority

Five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) have filed an intra-court appeal before the Supreme Court, challenging the decision on judicial transfers and seniority, which was ruled in favour of the IHC by the apex court earlier, Express News reported.

Through senior counsel Munir A Malik, the five judges prayed SC to annul the decision made by a five-member bench, which had upheld the transfer of judges within the IHC.

The decision had also referred the matter of judicial seniority to the president of Pakistan.

They also requested SC to restrict three transfer judges, including Justice Sarfraz Dogar, from performing any judicial and administrative functions as IHC judges.

In their petition, the judges have sought an immediate suspension of SC's June 19 decision until their intra-court appeal is heard.

Moreover, they moved the court to impose a stay order on the determination of seniority of judges transferred to the IHC, barring the president of Pakistan from making any decisions in this regard.

The petition further calls for halting the Judicial Commission’s move to appoint Justice Sarfraz Dogar as the permanent Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court.

The intra-court appeal, along with the stay order request, was filed before the apex court after the IHC had found the transfer of judges and the seniority issue contentious.

The legal battle between the two judicial bodies has raised concerns regarding the process of judicial appointments and seniority determination within Pakistan's highest courts.