The president announces the selection of chief justices for all four high courts.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law and Justice has issued notifications for the permanent appointment of chief justices to all four high courts in the nation, with President Asif Ali Zardari’s permission.

According to the statement, Justice Sarfraz Dogar has been appointed Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court. Justice Junaid Ghaffar has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court.
Justice Rozi Khan Bareech has been appointed as chief justice of the Balochistan High Court, while Justice Atiq Shah has been named chief justice of the Peshawar High Court.

The event occurred a week after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) appointed permanent chief justices to four high courts.

In February, five IHC justices petitioned the Supreme Court against Justice Dogar’s appointment as interim head justice of IHC, as well as the transfer of three high court judges to their court.

The plea was filed by Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Saman Riffat Imtiaz.

However, on June 19, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions challenging the transfer of justices and declared that Justice Dogar may continue to serve as the IHC’s acting chief justice.

After the Ministry of Law and Justice issued an updated seniority list, President Asif Ali Zardari publicly declared Justice Dogar the “senior-most judge” of the IHC.

It is important to note that the five IHC justices filed an intra-court appeal (ICA) against the Supreme Court’s June 19 ruling.

In their petition, the justices demanded that the Constitutional Bench’s ruling be “recalled and set aside […] in the interest of justice”.

“During the pendency of the current appeal, this Hon’ble Court may kindly grant temporary relief as requested in the attached interim relief application. “Any other relief that this Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper may also be granted,” the petition read.