Justice Sarfraz Dogar appointed as senior-most judge of Islamabad High Court

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari formally appointed Justice Sarfraz Dogar as the senior-most judge of the Islamabad High Court, after reviewing the seniority of judges of the court, according to a notification issued in accordance with a Supreme Court decision.

President Zardari completed the Islamabad High Court judges’ seniority list, where Justice Sarfraz Dogar is ranked first. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani stands second, and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb stands third in the hierarchy.

The president also okayed the permanent postings of three judges, Justice Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, and Justice Mohammad Asif, at the Islamabad High Court.

The news came after the Supreme Court made a ruling on the transfer case of IHC judges, stating that the transfer of judges is not against the Constitution.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan’s five-member Constitutional Bench, led by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, delivered the verdict in a 3-2 majority decision.

The court sent the matter of judges’ seniority back to the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, for reconsideration.

The majority view was upheld by Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Shahid Bilal, and Salahuddin Panhwar. Justices Naeem Afghan and Shakeel Ahmad were against the majority view.

It should be noted here that in February, the Ministry of Law had sent a notification for transferring three judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), after approval by President Asif Ali Zardari.

Reports state that President Asif Ali Zardari authorized these transfers based on Article 200 of the Constitution, placing the judges at the Islamabad High Court.

Justice Sarfraz Dogar, who was earlier of the Lahore High Court, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro of the Sindh High Court, and Baluchistan High Court Justice Muhammad Asif were also shifted to the Islamabad High Court.