A legal dispute over the seniority of five Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges has escalated to the Supreme Court. The judges have filed a petition challenging their seniority, with senior lawyers Munir A. Malik and Barrister Salahuddin representing them.
According to sources, the judges approached the Supreme Court after their appeal concerning seniority was rejected. Former Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had earlier dismissed their plea. The petitioners include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Riffat Imtiaz, and Justice Babar Sattar.
The petition names the federal government, transferred judges, and various high courts as respondents. Along with the main petition, a separate request for an injunction has also been filed.
The petition includes 13 different pleas, including a request to suspend three judges, including Justice Sarfraz Dogar, from their duties. The petitioners argue that the President’s powers should require approval from the Judicial Commission.
The petition also challenges the formation of the Islamabad High Court’s Administrative and Departmental Promotion Committees. Additionally, it seeks the annulment of the notification concerning judges’ transfers and the rejection of the seniority representation previously dismissed by former Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
The petition disputes the Judicial Commission’s process of reviewing the IHC judges’ list and contests the appointment of Justice Sarfraz Dogar as the senior puisne judge, a decision that was previously challenged in a representation that was dismissed.
In their plea, the petitioners have invoked Article 184(3) of the Constitution to seek relief from the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the petition challenges the President’s powers, asserting that under Article 200(1), the President does not have unrestricted authority to transfer judges, and such transfers must be justified by public interest.
