In an informal media interaction outside the Supreme Court, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan expressed disagreement over the seniority arrangement following the latest appointments to the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He specifically opposed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi’s stance on Justice Sarfaraz Dogar’s seniority, emphasizing that seniority lists should be based on judges who have already taken the judicial oath.
According to AGP Awan, judicial transfers are not temporary, and he maintained that his position on the matter was clearly recorded in the Judicial Commission meeting.
Justice Aamer Farooq Backs CJP Afridi’s View
Following the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s (JCP) official announcement, former IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a ruling reinforcing CJP Afridi’s perspective. He clarified that the appointment of judges differs from judicial transfers and asserted that judges transferred from Lahore High Court (LHC), Peshawar High Court (PHC), Sindh High Court (SHC), or Balochistan High Court (BHC) do not need to retake the oath. He further stated that such transfers, approved by the President, do not affect their seniority status.
Supreme Court Oath-Taking Ceremony Delayed
The swearing-in ceremony for six newly appointed Supreme Court judges and an acting justice was originally scheduled for today. However, a delayed notification from the Law Ministry postponed the event to Friday.
Preparations are underway for the ceremony, where the following justices will be formally elevated to the Supreme Court:
- Justice Aamer Farooq (IHC Chief Justice)
- Justice Shafi Siddiqui (SHC Chief Justice)
- Justice Hashim Kakar (BHC Chief Justice)
- Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim (PHC Chief Justice)
- Justice Salahuddin Panhwar (SHC)
- Justice Shakeel Ahmed (PHC)
Additionally, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC has been appointed as an acting justice of the Supreme Court.
The judicial appointments have sparked a debate over seniority and transfer protocols, with conflicting opinions from legal authorities shaping the discourse around judicial governance in Pakistan.
