IHC judge transfers draw criticism from Islamabad bar

ISLAMABAD: Lawyers’ bodies in the capital have reacted sharply to the transfer of three judges from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) on Tuesday raising concerns over the move, which it said lacked transparency, and warning that selective transfers could undermine judicial independence.

In a strongly worded statement, IBC Vice Chairman Ch Asif Irfan and Exe­cutive Committee Chairman Muhammad Zafar Khokhar demanded a “structured, periodic and across-the-board rotation policy” for IHC and subordinate court judges based on uniform criteria.

“The council has taken serious notice of the recent transfer of three judges from the IHC, which appears to be lacking transparency and raises concerns of mala fide intent,” the statement said. The council did not name the judges or specify when the orders were issued.

Under Article 200 of the Constitution, the president may transfer a high court judge to another high court on the chief justice’s advice. The bar argued that “isolated and non-uniform transfers, undertaken without any disclosed objective criteria” damaged public confidence and judicial integrity.

“Any rotation policy must be based on objective, uniform and transparent criteria, applicable equally to all judges,” the council said, adding that transfers must be “free from arbitrariness or extraneous considerations”.

Separately, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) also took note of the recent transfers. While acknowledging that such measures are undertaken within the constitutional framework, the association emphasised that they should be exercised with uniformity, transparency and principled consistency across the board.

“The IHCBA underscores that decisions impacting the composition of the courts carry significant institutional importance and must be approached with due care. It is imperative that such measures do not, in any manner, undermine the independence of the judiciary, which remains a cornerstone of the rule of law and public confidence in the justice system,” the association said.

The association reaffirmed its commitment to upholding judicial independence and expected that all relevant authorities would continue to be guided by these fundamental principles.

The bar urged “competent authorities” to formulate a comprehensive rotation mechanism in the interest of “fair and transparent administration of justice”.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026