ISLAMABAD, July 8: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed the chief justices to the four high courts, including Justice Sarfraz Dogar as the new chief justice of the Islamabad High Court after controversy over his appointment.
The appointments were made on Monday following the judgment by the Supreme Court last month, which decided pleas on the issue of the transfer of three judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), including Justice Dogar.
In a highly controversial move last year, the government transferred Justices Dogar, Muhammad Asif, and Khadim Hussain Soomro from the Lahore High Court, Balochistan High Court and Sindh High Court respectively to the Islamabad High Court.
Later, Justice Dogar was made chief justice. His colleagues opposed his elevation by saying that his transfer was against the law.
In February, five judges of the IHC had challenged the transfer of three judges to their court, which, in their opinion, had compromised the principle of seniority in the court.
A five-member panel of the apex court on June 19 issued a split 3-2 judgment to reject the petitions, ruling that the transfer of the judges was as per the Constitution, but referred the issue of seniority to the president of the country to decide it as per law.
Zardari decided that Justice Dogar was the senior most followed by others.
Later, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), which nominated chief justices, last week recommended Justice Dogar as the new chief justice of the IHC.
The commission also recommended Justice Rozi Khan Barrech as the chief justice for the Balochistan High Court, Justice Syed Muhammad Attique Shah for the Peshawar High Court and Justice Junaid Ghaffar for the Sindh High Court.
Following the recommendation, President Zardari on Monday formally appointed the four as chief justices of the respective high courts.
The chief justices are likely to take the oath sometime this week. (PTI)
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