Three IHC judges pack up chambers amid resignation rumours

ISLAMABAD: Three judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) have removed their personal belongings from the court building, sparking speculation about their potential resignations in response to the controversial 27th Amendment, said a news report by Dawn News on Friday.

The news report said that Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan quietly packed up their offices over the past week, moving personal items such as books, documents, and decorative pieces back to their homes. The packing was reportedly completed earlier this week, though the shift of their belongings was done discreetly.

Court officials revealed that the move was prompted by the recent enactment of the 27th Amendment, which has overhauled the judicial structure of Pakistan. One of the most significant provisions of the amendment allows for the transfer of high court judges without their consent, and it established the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) with exclusive jurisdiction over constitutional matters.

Sources suggested that the decision to remove their personal items came shortly after the amendment was enacted, raising further speculation about the judges’ futures on the bench.

Two of the three judges, Justice Sattar and Justice Jahangiri, were appointed to the IHC in December 2020. Under current rules, they would be entitled to post-retirement benefits if they submit their resignations after December 31, 2025. However, Justice Sardar Ejaz, appointed in December 2021, would not qualify for such benefits unless the president exercises discretionary authority to relax the pension criteria.

The three judges were among a group of six IHC judges who raised alarms last year over alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs. The judges sent a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which led to an intense public debate about the independence of the judiciary and calls for an investigation.

In the wake of these concerns, Justice Jahangiri, Justice Sattar, Justice Ejaz, and two other judges filed a challenge against the transfer of three judges to the IHC in early 2025. The judges in question, Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, and Justice Mohammad Asif, were moved from other high courts in February 2025.

Following the transfers, Justice Dogar was appointed chief justice of the IHC. However, the decision was contested in the Supreme Court, which dismissed the petition in June. The judges then appealed the decision before the newly established FCC, which also rejected their plea.

Amidst these ongoing tensions, four of the five judges, excluding Justice Jahangiri, attempted to challenge the 27th Amendment in the Supreme Court. However, their petition was not entertained, with the registrar’s office advising them to take the matter up with the FCC, which now holds jurisdiction over constitutional issues under the amendment.