ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Balochistan High Court (BHC) have inducted new judges, marking a significant expansion in the judicial capacity of both courts.
At the IHC, two new additional judges, Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, officially took their oaths of office in a ceremony presided over by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq at the Islamabad judicial complex. These appointments bring the IHC closer to addressing its growing caseload. Following the ceremony, a new bench roster was released, increasing operational capacity to five division benches and 10 single benches.
According to the revised roster, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq will pair with Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas in one division bench, while Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan will preside over another. Other notable pairings include Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb with Justice Summaira Rafat Imtiaz, Justice Tariq Jahangiri with Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, and Justice Babar Sattar with Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir.
Meanwhile, in Quetta, the Balochistan High Court saw the induction of three new judges: Justice Asif Reki, Justice Ayub Tareen, and Justice Najmuddin Mengal. Chief Justice Hashim Kakar administered the oaths at a ceremony attended by senior government officials, including the Chief Secretary and key provincial secretaries. With these appointments, the total number of judges in the BHC has risen to 14, reflecting a boost in judicial capacity for the province.
In a related development, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has scheduled a meeting on February 1 to nominate nine additional judges for the Peshawar High Court (PHC). Sources indicate that a list of 40 candidates has been submitted for consideration, including four district and session judges and several prominent lawyers.
The candidates include Kaleem Arshad Khan, Farrukh Jamshed, Inaamullah Khan, and Sophia Waqar Khattak from the judiciary. Lawyers under consideration feature notable names like Abdul Fayyaz, Kaleem Khan, Mansoor Tariq, and Qazi Babar Irshad, among others.
The recent judicial appointments in Islamabad and Balochistan, along with the upcoming nominations for Peshawar, signify a concerted effort to address pending cases and ensure a more efficient judicial process across Pakistan.
