ISLAMABAD, July 5 (TNF): The chief justices of the Islamabad, Sindh, Balochistan, and Peshawar high courts are expected to take oath next week. The formal notifications for their appointments have not yet been issued.
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved these appointments on July 1. Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar will become chief justice of the Islamabad High Court. Justice Mohammad Junaid Ghaffar will head the Sindh High Court. Justice Rozi Khan Barrech will lead the Balochistan High Court, while Justice S. M. Attique Shah will head the Peshawar High Court.
The JCP informed the principal secretary to the prime minister about the appointments the same day. An oath-taking ceremony was expected within days. However, the absence of the president from Islamabad delayed the notifications.
Sources said the notifications are likely on Monday, with the oath ceremony expected the following day. President Asif Ali Zardari will administer oath to Justice Dogar at the Presidency. The other chief justices will take oath from their respective governors.
President Zardari declared Justice Dogar the “senior-most judge” of IHC after the Ministry of Law issued a revised seniority list. Justice Dogar had been transferred from the Lahore High Court to IHC on Feb 1 under Article 200(1) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court’s verdict on June 19 upheld the transfers and referred the seniority determination to the president.
Five IHC judges challenged the SC ruling that upheld the transfers of Justice Dogar from LHC, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro from SHC, and Justice Mohammad Asif from BHC. The president also declared the transfer status of all three judges permanent.
The controversy started on Feb 20 when Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz filed a representation. They argued that a judge transferred to another high court must take a fresh oath, which should impact their seniority.
They said seniority should be based on the date of the new oath at IHC. The petitioners argued that the transferred judges should rank below them in seniority. These judges also skipped Justice Dogar’s earlier oath as acting IHC chief justice.
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