Lawyers across Pakistan’s capital launched a strike to protest President Asif Ali Zardari’s decision to transfer three judges from provincial high courts to the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The transfers—carried out despite opposition from five sitting IHC judges—sparked backlash from bar associations, which accused the government of undermining judicial seniority and independence.
Legal organizations warned that the move could violate constitutional norms and politicize the judiciary. In a letter to the chief justices of Pakistan’s courts, dissenting IHC judges called the transfer of Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar a potential “fraud on the constitution,” amid reports he might be installed as IHC Chief Justice.
The Islamabad Bar Council declared it would pursue all legal avenues to reverse the transfers and uphold judicial autonomy. A nationwide All-Pakistan Lawyers’ Convention was convened to coordinate a legal and political response.
This case illustrates growing concerns about executive encroachment on judicial independence, making it a critical development for tracking the role of lawyers and legal institutions amid democratic backsliding.