President Zardari Judicial Appointments End Weeks-Long Deadlock Over High Court Judges
President Asif Ali Zardari approves 19 additional judges and confirms five as permanent judges across five high courts following consultations with the federal government.
President Asif Ali Zardari approves the president zardari judicial appointments for Pakistan’s high courts
High Court Standoff Resolved Through Key Approvals
ISLAMABAD — Major developments regarding president zardari judicial appointments have brought an end to a weeks-long constitutional deadlock between the Presidency and the federal government. President Asif Ali Zardari officially approved the appointment of 19 additional judges across five high courts and confirmed five others as permanent judges.
The formal approvals cover the Lahore High Court (LHC), Sindh High Court (SHC), Peshawar High Court (PHC), Islamabad High Court (IHC), and Balochistan High Court (BHC). Following the presidential assent, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued notifications confirming the appointments forwarded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif based on Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) recommendations.
The 19 newly appointed additional judges will serve for a period of one year from the date they take their oath of office.
Background Behind the President Zardari Judicial Appointments Delay
The judicial nominations had remained pending since July 20 and 21, 2026, when the Judicial Commission of Pakistan initially finalized its recommendations. An oath-taking ceremony originally scheduled for July 27 was postponed indefinitely after the summary remained unapproved at the Presidency.
Several factors contributed to the delay:
Presidency Concerns: Legal representatives for the Presidency raised questions regarding JCP proceedings, citing concerns over candidate selections and procedural evaluations.
Constitutional Debate: Government legal advisors explored invoking Article 48(1) of the Constitution, maintaining that the president is constitutionally obligated to act on the prime minister’s advice within set timeframes.
Sub-Judice Status: A public interest petition filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenged the delay, leading to court notices issued to government and legal authorities.
The stalemate began easing following direct, positive meetings between legal teams representing the Presidency and the federal government, leading to a mutual resolution.
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Detailed High Court Breakdown and Judicial Reinstatements
To resolve practical disruptions caused by expired terms during the delay, the Ministry of Law and Justice backdated effective appointment dates. The four Peshawar High Court judges whose terms expired on August 4 will have their appointments counted effective from July 20. SHC Additional Judge Justice Khalid Hussain Shahani also received a six-month tenure extension.
Lahore High Court (10 Additional Judges): Advocates Shireen Imran, Amir Ajam Malik, Asad Ali Bajwa, Barrister Muhammad Usman Ghani Rashid Cheema, Ghulam Sarwar Nihung, Khalid Ibn-i-Aziz, Muhammad Ajmal Khan Zahid, Muhammad Amjad Pervaiz, Munawar Iqbal Duggal, and Syed Farhad Ali.
Islamabad High Court (3 Additional Judges): District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, Advocate Ayyaz Shaukat, and Advocate Umair Majeed Malik.
Sindh High Court (3 Additional Judges): Advocate Muhammad Humayon Khan, District and Sessions Judge Suresh Kumar, and Advocate Dr. Shah Nawaz Memon.
Balochistan High Court (3 Additional Judges): District and Sessions Judges Allah Dad Roshan and Abdul Qayyum Lehri, alongside Advocate Muhammad Rauf Atta.
Confirmed Permanent Judges (5): Justices Farah Jamshed, Inamullah Khan, Sabitullah Khan, and Aurangzeb (Peshawar High Court), along with Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa (Lahore High Court).
In addition to clearing the high court bench list, President Zardari approved equalizing salaries, allowances, and pensions of Supreme Court judges with the Federal Constitutional Court, updated high court judicial leave orders, and appointed Haroon Akhtar as advisor to the Prime Minister on industries and production.
