Tough contest ahead as Judicial Commission of Pakistan set to fill IHC slots

Lead

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is set to convene on July 20 to select three judges for the Islamabad High Court (IHC), a task that has evolved from a routine administrative matter into a politically sensitive decision, as reported by Dawn. The contest for the vacant seats is expected to be intense, as stakeholders are reportedly keen to avoid alienating the federal capital’s legal fraternity on the eve of a major opposition campaign.

Coverage comparison

Dawn’s reporting on the upcoming JCP meeting highlights the administrative steps and the political context. The IHC administration, led by Chief Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, has forwarded three names to the JCP for the vacant positions. The official nominees are District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, former advocate general Islamabad Ayyaz Shaukat, who currently serves as chairman of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, and advocate Umair Majeed Malik.

The finalisation of these names came after the JCP, in its June 19 meeting chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, approved new rules and set July 4 as the deadline for nominations. Under the newly approved framework, a seven-member interview panel has been established to vet candidates.

However, the selection process became more complex after representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Islamabad Bar Council in the JCP recommended the name of incumbent Islamabad High Court Bar Association resident, Syed Wajid Ali Gillani, for a judgeship. The IBC also proposed lawyer Wajid Mughal’s name. Senator Farooq H. Naek, a JCP member, recommended the names of Syed Qamar Hussain Sabzwari and Syed Intikhab Hussain Shah for consideration.

This lobbying effort reflects a sustained campaign by Islamabad’s legal fraternity, which has been demanding that vacancies in the high court be filled by lawyers belonging to the federal capital. During a joint press conference held last month at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, Islamabad Bar Council, IHC Bar Association and Islamabad District Bar Association had demanded that future appointments to the court be made from among Islamabad lawyers.

Key claims

• The JCP considered the confirmation of additional judges, the extension in tenure of constitutional benches of the Sindh High Court (SHC), and nominations to fill vacant positions of additional judges in the provincial high courts as well as vacancies in the Islamabad High Court, as reported by Dawn.
• The JCP recommended a six-month extension in the term of Justice Khalid Hussain Shahani as an additional judge of the SHC, according to Dawn.
• The commission did not confirm another additional judge of the high court, Justice Syed Fiaz ul Hassan Shah, Dawn reported.
• The commission recommended the appointment of Advocate Muhammad Humayon Khan, District and Sessions Judge Suresh Kumar, and Advocate Dr Shah Nawaz Memon as additional judges of the SHC, as stated in Dawn’s report.
• The IHC administration has finalised three candidates for three vacant positions of judges, with the names forwarded to the JCP including District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, former Advocate General Islamabad Ayyaz Shaukat, and advocate Umair Majeed Malik, according to sources cited by Dawn.
• The JCP has set July 4 as the deadline for nominations, following which the initial pool of nominees will undergo formal scrutiny under the recently approved 2026 rules, Dawn reported.
• Islamabad’s legal fraternity has been demanding that vacancies in the high court be filled by lawyers belonging to the federal capital, as reported by Dawn.
• The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) has announced a nationwide protest movement from Aug 5, marking three years since the conviction of former prime minister Imran Khan, according to Dawn.

Perspectives

Legal fraternity of Islamabad

Representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, Islamabad Bar Council, IHC Bar Association and Islamabad District Bar Association have demanded that future appointments to the IHC be made from among lawyers belonging to the federal capital, arguing that the court belongs to Islamabad.

Opposition alliance (TTAP)

The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan has announced a nationwide protest movement starting Aug 5, which adds to the political sensitivity of the selection process, as noted in Dawn’s reporting.