Justice Sarfraz Dogar notified as acting IHC CJ

ISLAMABAD: Justice Sardar Muham­mad Sarfraz Dogar has been appointed as the acting chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and is expected to take oath today (Thursday).

The Ministry of Law and Justice issued the notification late Wednesday, notifying that President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the appointment of Justice Dogar under Article 196 of the Constitution “with effect from the date of he makes an oath of his office, till the appointment of regular Chief Justice”.

His appointment came despite reservations shown by the legal fraternity including the IHC judges over his seniority.

As per details, President Asif Ali Zardari will oversee Justice Dogar’s oath-taking, contrary to the usual practice, where a senior judge administers the oath to an acting chief justice of a high court. This follows speculation that five senior IHC judges, who had openly opposed Justice Dogar’s transfer, might refuse to administer the oath.

The appointment of Justice Dogar came after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the elevation of his predecessor, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, to the Supreme Court.

The JCP, on Monday, approved the elevation of a total of six new judges to the apex court amid a boycott by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and two senior SC judges.

The law ministry has also issued a notification today (Thursday) notifying the appointment of six judges who were elevated to the Supreme Court from various high courts.

The notification relates to appointment of Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, SHC senior puisne judge Salahuddin Panhwar, Peshawar High Court (PHC) judge Shakeel Ahmad, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, and PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim as SC judges.

The newly appointed Supreme Court judges will also be sworn in by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) today.