Saira Imran Islamabad High Court judges’ possible exit appears after the new 27th Constitutional Amendment. Two judges said they may not hear cases in the capital next month.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz gave these hints during separate case hearings.
During a company case on Thursday, a lawyer asked Justice Kayani to set the final arguments in the first week of December.
Justice Kayani replied, “Another judge will hear this case in the first week of December.”
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The lawyer became worried. He said, “Sir, please don’t say this. It makes us uneasy.”
Justice Kayani smiled and said, “It’s okay. I am happy.”
When the lawyer said, “Sir, you will leave. We still want to learn from you,” Justice Kayani again replied, “It’s okay. I am happy.”
Two days earlier, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz also hinted the same. She told a lawyer that her bench may not be available after December.
Earlier this year, both judges, along with three others, strongly objected when the current Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar was transferred to the Islamabad High Court.
The approved 27th Amendment now gives the Judicial Commission of Pakistan the power to transfer high court judges without their consent. This change has created concern in some legal circles.
Sources said the transfer process will happen in phases. They believe the Islamabad High Court will be affected first.
In the end, this issue keeps growing as the Islamabad High Court judges’ possible exit becomes a serious discussion.
