Justice Kayani resigns from the Lahore High Court after citing deep concerns over the executive’s rising influence on the judiciary. In a detailed resignation letter, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani explained that both personal health issues and matters of conscience forced him to step down.
He had been transferred earlier this year from the Islamabad High Court to the Lahore High Court along with two other judges. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan approved those transfers in late April. Justice Kayani described his years on the bench as a true privilege and noted that he disposed of more than 23,000 cases while always trying to uphold the Constitution and protect fundamental rights.
Yet he made it clear that the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments have weakened the independence and institutional integrity of the high courts. According to him, the executive now exercises growing control over the appointment and transfer of judges. This interference, he said, has seriously damaged public confidence in the fairness of the judicial process.
Justice Kayani also spoke about the ordinary litigant whose suffering continues to grow. He felt that the needs of people seeking justice have been neglected while other interests have benefited from a system meant to serve them. Under these conditions, his conscience no longer allowed him to remain on the bench. He called the decision painful but necessary because judicial office must stay inseparable from independence, fidelity to the Constitution, and respect for human dignity.
After leaving the court, Justice Kayani plans to return to legal practice. He intends to keep serving the people, protecting their rights, and promoting greater legal awareness across the country. His resignation has once again brought the debate on judicial independence into the spotlight and raised fresh questions about the relationship between the executive and the judiciary in Pakistan.
