President Zardari finalizes IHC judges’ seniority list

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari has finalized the seniority of judges in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

In this regard, the Ministry of Law and Justice has issued an official notification. According to the notification, the President approved the seniority in light of the Supreme Court’s decision dated June 19.

As per the notification, Justice Sarfraz Dogar will be the most senior judge of the Islamabad High Court. Justice Dogar and two other judges have been permanently transferred to the IHC.

According to the notification issued by the President, Justice Sarfraz Dogar is ranked first in seniority. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani is second. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb is third. Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri is fourth. Justice Babar Sattar is fifth. Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan is sixth. Justice Arbab Tahir is seventh. Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz is eighth. Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro is ninth. Justice Azam Khan is tenth. Justice Muhammad Asif is eleventh. Justice Inam Amin Minhas is ranked twelfth, the last in seniority.

The notification further states that Justice Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Khadim Soomro, and Justice Muhammad Asif have been appointed as permanent judges of the Islamabad High Court.

It is worth noting that on June 19, a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had dismissed petitions challenging the transfer of judges. The court delivered a 2-3 majority verdict, with three judges declaring the transfers constitutional. The verdict was announced by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.

It is also important to mention that Justice Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Muhammad Asif, and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro were transferred to the Islamabad High Court from other courts.

Following the transfer of judges from other high courts to the IHC, five IHC judges had filed a petition regarding the issue of seniority in the Supreme Court on February 20 this year.