IHC working on policy to rotate judges to other provinces

The Islamabad High Court administration is developing a policy for rotating judges from the subordinate judiciary to other provinces, a long-standing demand from Islamabad's legal community now accepted by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee. Several proposals are being evaluated to determine the implementation process, with one suggestion suggesting that judicial officers transferred should ideally be from their original province of origin.

Currently, Islamabad's judiciary includes officers who have been appointed, absorbed, or deputed, with judges from all four provinces serving in the capital. The IHC comprises around 60 judicial officers, and authorities are considering rotating all or a portion of these judges. The rotation policy could apply to all tiers of the subordinate judiciary or specific categories, but the final decision will ensure an equal number of judges are transferred from Islamabad to maintain the court's strength.

The policy follows a demand from the Islamabad High Court Bar Association in May, leading the NJPMC to accept the principle of inter-provincial rotation. The move comes after years of calls for institutional balance in the capital's district courts, with recent transfers of IHC judges to Lahore, Peshawar, and Sindh high courts further emphasizing the need for a structured rotation mechanism.

While the concept is not new, concerns have been raised about potential professional pressures on judges due to frequent transfers between Islamabad and other provinces. The final policy will address the number, categories, duration, and replacement procedures for judges, ensuring inter-provincial exposure while preserving judicial independence and maintaining the district judiciary's strength.