Zardari Names Justice Dogar Senior-Most Judge of Islamabad High Court

President Asif Ali Zardari has named Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar as the senior-most judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), officially approving his permanent transfer along with two other judges. A gazette notification dated June 27, 2025, has been issued reflecting the updated seniority list of the IHC bench.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani has been designated the senior puisne judge, followed by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb. The full seniority list includes:

1. Justice Sarfraz Dogar
2. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani
3. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb
4. Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri
5. Justice Babar Sattar
6. Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan
7. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir
8. Justice Saman Riffat Imtiaz
9. Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro
10. Justice Azam Khan
11. Justice Muhammad Asif (transferred from Quetta)
12. Justice Inam Amin Minhas

The development follows weeks of controversy, as five IHC judges filed a formal appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision permitting the transfers. The petition, filed on June 27, challenged the legality of giving seniority to transferred judges over existing IHC judges without a fresh oath.

Judges Kayani, Jahangiri, Sattar, Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Saman Riffat Imtiaz have argued that this move violates constitutional provisions regarding judicial appointment and seniority. Their protest was further signified by boycotting Justice Dogar’s oath-taking as acting chief justice.

The final verdict may depend on the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s meeting on July 1, which is set to deliberate on permanent chief justice appointments for the Islamabad, Sindh, and Peshawar High Courts.

With Justice Dogar, Justice Kayani, and Justice Aurangzeb in contention for the IHC chief justice slot, legal observers are watching closely as this case may shape future judicial appointment norms and inter-court seniority protocols in Pakistan.