The Islamabad Bar Council, Islamabad High Court Bar Association, and Islamabad District Bar Association have announced their decision to observe a strike on Monday (tomorrow) in protest against the judicial appointments in the federal capital’s high court from other courts.

In a joint press conference and statement, they said that it was unanimously decided that the legal community would not accept these transfers.

The reaction comes after the law ministry transferred three judges from the high courts of Sindh, Lahore, and Balochistan to the Islamabad High Court on Saturday amid concerns raised by five judges in the federal capital.

The three judges who are transferred to IHC are: Lahore High Court judge Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, Sindh High Court judge Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, and Balochistan High Court judge Justice Muhammad Asif.

Earlier, five judges from the IHC sent a letter to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and various high courts, urging them to oppose reports suggesting that a transferred judge could be appointed to lead the IHC.

Islamabad High Court Bar Association Chairman Aleem Abassi described the transfers as “malicious and an attempt to create division within the judiciary.” They opposed the decision and declared their intention to protest vigorously against the move.

He announced that a nationwide lawyers’ convention would take place on Monday at 11am at the District Court in G-11. Abbasi urged lawyers across the country to join the protest, warning that if such transfers were not reversed, the demonstrations would escalate.

The IHCBA chairman also labelled the promotions of judges to the Supreme Court as “malicious, claiming that both government and opposition parties are taking such measures to undermine the independence of the judiciary.”

Lawyers alleged that such actions were politically motivated and would adversely affect the freedom and autonomy of the judiciary.

They demanded that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan meeting scheduled for February 10 be postponed to prevent further division and malicious actions within the judiciary.

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According to reports, in the seniority list of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro would be senior to Justice Saman Rafat.

“The decision is a direct violation of the principles of judicial independence and regional representation, and it undermines the autonomy of the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad. We strongly urge that the recently transferred judges be sent back to their respective high courts immediately,” the joint statement said.

The legal fraternity also opposed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and described it as a “tool for suppressing freedom of expression and curbing press freedom.” It added that the bar associations stand in solidarity with journalists and media houses in their struggle for “unhindered press freedom” and demanded “immediate repeal of all respective laws targeting the media.”