ISLAMABAD: The law ministry on Wednesday notified the transfer of three judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to other high courts under Article 200 of the Constitution.

The notification comes a day after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the transfer of three judges from the IHC to other courts.

It said that President Asif Ali Zardari, on the recommendation of the JCP, had approved the transfer of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani to the Lahore High Court; Justice Babar Sattar to the Peshawar High Court; and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to the Sindh High Court.

A separate summary moved to the PM Office, dated April 29, also confirmed that the JCP, in its meeting held on April 28, had recommended the transfers by a majority of its total membership.

The transfers, however, have triggered a strong reaction from legal bodies in the capital.

The Islamabad Bar Council said it had taken “serious notice” of the transfers, which it said appeared to lack transparency and raised concerns of mala fide intent.

It demanded a “structured, periodic and across-the-board rotation policy” for IHC and subordinate court judges based on uniform criteria.

Separately, the Islam­abad High Court Bar Asso­ciation (IHCBA) urged authorities to formulate a comprehensive rotation mechanism in the interest of the fair and transparent administration of justice.

The opposition PTI also has expressed grave concern over “political interference” in the transfer of superior court judges, describing the move as a serious threat to independence of the judiciary.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2026