President Asif Ali Zardari has declared Justice Sarfraz Dogar as the senior-most judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The decision comes following a Supreme Court directive that referred the matter of judicial seniority and transfers to the President for final determination.
In an official move, the President also made permanent the transfers of Justice Dogar and two other judges, which had previously raised legal debates. Alongside this declaration, the President released an updated seniority list for IHC judges.
According to the new list, Justice Sarfraz Dogar ranks at the top. Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro is placed ninth, while Justice Asif ranks eleventh. This list settles a months-long dispute over judicial rankings and transfer legitimacy.
Earlier, five IHC judges had appealed against a June 19 Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of the judges’ transfers to Islamabad. The apex court had rejected their petitions by a 3-2 majority, stating that such transfers do not violate the Constitution.
The court affirmed that under Article 200, the President holds the authority to transfer high court judges between provinces. It further clarified that such transfers are legally distinct from judicial appointments under Article 175, and the two provisions do not contradict each other.