ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has disposed of 6018 cases whereas around 6500 new cases submitted during the last year.

Out of the disposed of cases, 137 were old, 2791 urgent, 457 motion cases and 2633 were notice cases. However, the pendency of cases with Islamabad High Court has mounted to around 12500 cases but strength of IHC judges could not be enhanced so far to the required level.

About 8,500 cases were transferred from the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench to the IHC after its re-establishment.

Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan is going to retire on May 2014 leaving behind only three judges if further appointment were not made by the Judicial Commission.

The sanctioned strength of IHC judges is seven including the chief justice. Currently, there are four IHC judges including Chief Justice Mohammed Anwar Khan Kasi, Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi and Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui are working in the IHC.

Under the IHC Act, total strength of the judges is seven besides chief justice: "Each of the six other judges will be appointed from provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas."
In January 2011, initially three judges including former IHC Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman of Punjab, Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi of Baluchistan and Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa were appointed as the IHC judge.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan in its meeting on October 27, 2011, recommended the names of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui from Punjab, Justice Noorul Haq N. Quraishi from Sindh and Mohammad Azim Khan Afridi from FATA for the vacant positions of the IHC judges.

However, the Judicial Commission on October 23, 2012 did not give extension to another judge Justice Azim Afridi.
Later, on February 24, Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court was elevated as judge of the Supreme Court creating another vacancy.

On August 03, 2013, the Commission meeting was held but could not evolve consensus on the names of lawyers including Haroon Rashid, Anees Jillani and Raja Ishtiaq for the additional judge of Islamabad High Court.

Source: APP