GILGIT: Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan took oath as the chief justice of the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Wednesday for the second time. The oath was administered by GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah at a ceremony held at the Governor’s House in Gilgit.

The ceremony was attended by chief judge of the GB chief court, Justice Ali Baig, other judges of the chief court and subordinate judiciary, civil and military officers, and senior lawyers.

The three-year tenure of Chief Justice Shamim Khan ended on Nov 4.

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, on the advice of the Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, has appointed Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan as the Chief Judge of the Supreme Appellate Court, Gilgit-Baltistan, with effect from November 5 until he attains the age of 70, in accordance with Article 75(8) of the GB Order 2018,” a notification read.

Justice Sardar Shamim Khan sworn in by governor

Vacant posts

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could not approve the summary for the appointment of two judges to the GB Supreme Appellate Court.

Officials said that a month ago, GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan had submitted a summary of eight candidates for the two vacant positions.

GB lawyers’ bodies have been protesting and boycotting court proceedings for several months this year over the long-delayed appointments of the two vacant positions in the GB Supreme Appellate Court.

They said two judges have not been appointed for the last eight years, and thousands of cases, mostly of public importance, have been pending in the highest judicial forum.

The GB Supreme Appellate Court consists of a chief judge and two additional members. However, for many years, the court has had only a chief judge. According to the GB High Court Bar Association, the GB Supreme Appellate Court has been operating with just one judge for the past seven years.

As per the rules, a single judge cannot hear all cases, resulting in thousands of important cases remaining pending. In August this year, GB lawyer bodies ended their protest after receiving assurance that two judges would be appointed to the GB Supreme Appellate Court within one month.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2025