Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has welcomed the transfer of three judges to Islamabad High Court from other high courts in the country.

The development came on Monday shortly after the Supreme Court Bar Association issued a statement voicing support for the move.

The transfer of three judges from Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court and Balochistan High Court to Islamabad last week sparked an outcry from lawyers who issued a protest call and went for strike on Monday. Bar associations in Islamabad believe the transfer was aimed at preventing Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani from become the Islamabad High Court chief justice.

Justice Sarfraz Dogar, who has been transferred to Islamabad High Court from Lahore High Court, is now the senior most judge after IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq.

Speaking at an oath-taking ceremony of lawyers on Monday, CJP Afridi said he wanted to bring up the transfer of judges to Islamabad High Court. He said the transfer was in accordance with the constitution of Pakistan.

CJP Afridi said transfer and appointment of judges were two separate issues as transfer did not affect seniority of a judge and judges who were transferred to IHC were not given fresh appointments.

The CJP said Islamabad High Court did not represent any prvince but entire Pakistan.

He said he had consented to the transfer under Article 200 of the Constitution.

Shortly before the top judge spoke, Supreme Court Bar Association issued a statement on Monday saying Article 200 of the Constitution allowed the president to transfer High Court judges with their consent and after consulting the chief justices of both the concerned high courts and the chief justice of Pakistan.

The statement said there was numerous instances when judges from other high courts were transferred to IHC and “even among the incumbent judges, who have been transferred from other High Courts.”