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  • Pakistan president approves judges’ transfer to Islamabad High Court amid judiciary row 


Pakistan president approves judges’ transfer to Islamabad High Court amid judiciary row 

A convoy of Pakistani army passes the Islamabad High Court building in Islamabad on August 29, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 02 February 2025
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Pakistan president approves judges’ transfer to Islamabad High Court amid judiciary row 

  • News reports say government aims to appoint one of the transferred judges as Islamabad High Court’s chief justice
  • Islamabad Bar Council criticizes move as “affront to the independence of the judiciary,” undermines rights of legal fraternity
Updated 02 February 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari this week approved the transfer of three judges from the high courts of Sindh, Balochistan and Lahore to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), despite opposition from five IHC judges who had warned that the decision would not be in line with the constitution. 

As per a notification from the Ministry of Law and Justice on Saturday, Zardari approved the transfers of Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar from the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and the Balochistan High Court’s (BHC) Justice Muhammad Asif to the IHC. 

Local media reports had stated the government was considering transferring Justice Dogar as it wanted to elevate him to the post of IHC chief justice. Reports said incumbent IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq is expected to be elevated to the Supreme Court. 

Five of the 10 IHC judges formally opposed Justice Dogar’s transfer on Friday. In a letter addressed to the chief justices of the Supreme Court, IHC, LHC and SHC, the judges said that if the decision to transfer the judge was to consider him as IHC chief justice, it would be “fraud on the constitution.”

In a notification released on Saturday, the Ministry of Law and Justice announced:

“In exercise of the powers conferred under clause I of Article 200 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to transfer:

Mr. Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, judge from the Lahore High Court to the Islamabad High Court, Mr. Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro judge from the Sindh High Court to the Islamabad High Court and Justice Muhammad Asif judge from the Balochistan High Court to the Islamabad High Court.”

Pakistan’s constitution empowers the president to transfer a judge from one high court to another after the concerned judge consents to the decision. The president can approve the transfer after consulting the chief justice of Pakistan and the chief justice of both high courts.

The Islamabad Bar Council unanimously rejected the president’s decision in a statement on Saturday. 

“This decision is an affront to the independence of the judiciary and undermines the rights and representation of the legal fraternity in Islamabad,” the council wrote in a press release. 

The council said it has convened an Emergent General House Session at 11:00 am on Sunday, along with the Cabinets of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and the Islamabad District Bar Association, to deliberate on the “future course of action.” 

“The Islamabad Bar Council urges the legal fraternity to unite in this critical time to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary and protect the interests of the Islamabad’s legal practitioners,” it added. 

Topics: Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari islamabad high court Arab News Pakistan

Met Office forecasts ‘widespread’ rain, snowfall in parts of Pakistan

Updated 5 sec ago
Kashif Imran 
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Met Office forecasts ‘widespread’ rain, snowfall in parts of Pakistan

  • Heavy snowfall may cause road closures, while there is a possibility of landslides and avalanche in hilly areas
  • Tourists are advised to remain extra cautious, avoid unnecessary travel during forecast period, Met Office says
Updated 5 sec ago
Kashif Imran 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast “widespread” rain and snowfall in northern parts of the country in the coming days, saying that a shallow westerly wave was likely to reach the upper regions on Friday.

The weather system is likely to strengthen from Jan. 20 and grip most parts of the country from Jan. 21, bringing rain, thunderstorm and snowfall to several areas, according to a PMD advisory. Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree and Galliyat will experience rain/thunderstorm with light to moderate snowfalls Jan. 16 till Jan. 20, with occasional gaps.

Widespread rain/thunderstorm is expected in these areas along with Islamabad, and Punjab’s Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur divisions, as well as KP’s Peshawar, Hazara, Malakand, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, and Dera Ismail Khan districts on Jan. 20-23.

“Heavy snowfall is expected [in] Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli, Rawalakot from 20th (night) to 23rd January with occasional gaps,” the PMD said.

Similarly, rain/thunderstorm is expected in Balochistan’s Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Barkhan, Sibi, Loralai, Musakhel, Turbat, Gawadar, Jiwani, Lasbella, Kech, Awaran, Chaghi, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Washuk and Kharan districts on Jan. 21-22.

Karachi, Hyderabad, Dadu, Jacobabad, Naushero Feroz, Kashmore, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirbad, Mirpurkhas and Ghotki in Sindh are likely to receive rain with occasional gaps on Jan. 22-23.

“Moderate to heavy snowfall in (Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob) during the period,” the PMD said.

Heavy snowfall may cause road closures and slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai and Zhob, according to the PMD.

There is a possibility of landslides and avalanche in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during this period.

“Tourists are advised to remain extra cautious and avoid unnecessary traveling during the forecast period,” it said.

“Fog condition is likely to diminish in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Sindh during the wet spell. Day time temperatures are likely to drop significantly during the period.”

Topics: Pakistan rain Met office snowfall

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