The Islamabad High Court on Monday took strong notice of the continued delay in the appointment of high court judges and issued notices to both the President and the Prime Minister. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir directed the two offices, through their secretaries, to explain why the pending summary has not been processed.
The court is hearing a public interest petition filed by advocate Luqman Zafar. The petition states that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan nominated names for high court judges during its meetings on July 20 and 21, 2026. Those names were sent to the President through the Prime Minister under Article 175A(8) of the Constitution. More than 18 days have passed without any decision.
Justice Tahir expressed clear dissatisfaction with the federal government’s handling of the matter. He told Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez that the government appeared to have little interest in completing the constitutional process. The judge also pointed out that confirmations of judges already approved for the Sindh High Court and Peshawar High Court remain stalled as well.
The petitioner’s counsel, Zahid Asif Chaudhry, argued that the Constitution sets a clear time frame. Once the prescribed period ends, the President cannot keep the summary pending indefinitely. The Additional Attorney General replied that at this stage the President can no longer reject the summary.
In its written order, the court directed the federal government and the Ministry of Law to submit short reports. These reports must state the exact date the Prime Minister forwarded the summary and whether any action followed. The court also asked the respondents to explain the constitutional consequences if advice on judges appointments stays pending without being acted upon or returned within the allowed time.
Justice Tahir made it clear that the constitutional process for filling vacancies in the superior judiciary cannot be left incomplete. The case will be heard again on Wednesday, when the court expects clear answers from the government side.
The development has drawn attention to the growing backlog of judicial appointments and the need for timely action by both the executive and the constitutional offices involved.
