ISLAMABAD: The executive body of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association has called for the formulation of a uniform transfer and rotation policy for the district judiciary of the federal capital, while also demanding greater representation for Islamabad in the national bar bodies and preference for local lawyers in appointments to the Islamabad High Court.

In a declaration issued after a meeting of its executive body, the bar association said judges of the district judiciary in Islamabad should be provided equal opportunities for inter-provincial transfers similar to those available in other provinces in order to promote balance and professional harmony within the judicial system.

The association also stressed the need to fill vacant positions in the Islamabad High Court with qualified and deserving members of the legal fraternity.

According to the declaration, since all provinces already have representation in the high court, preference should now be given to lawyers and bar members holding local domiciles.

Expressing reservations over reports regarding scrutiny of judicial appointments by any committee outside the constitutional framework, the IHCBA clarified that the authority to recommend and appoint judges solely rests with the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.

The declaration further emphasized that the advisory role of the chief justice of the concerned high court in the appointment process must be fully protected.

The executive body also raised several demands relating to the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association.

The Islamabad High Court Bar demanded allocation of a separate and exclusive seat of vice president for Islamabad in the Supreme Court Bar Association. It further sought reservation of three seats of executive members for Islamabad.

According to the declaration, the office of president of the Supreme Court Bar should remain reserved exclusively for Islamabad and should not be shared or rotated with Rawalpindi.

The bar association maintained that Islamabad possesses a distinct constitutional, regional and institutional identity which should be acknowledged and respected in representative structures of national bar bodies.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association reiterated its commitment to the independence of the judiciary, supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

According to the declaration, the office of president of the Supreme Court Bar should remain reserved exclusively for Islamabad and should not be shared or rotated with Rawalpindi.

The bar association maintained that Islamabad possesses a distinct constitutional, regional and institutional identity which should be acknowledged and respected in representative structures of national bar bodies.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association reiterated its commitment to the independence of the judiciary, supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2026