{"id":98396,"date":"2025-09-04T03:56:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T03:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/ihc-adopts-new-rules-by-razor-thin-majority\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T03:56:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T03:56:06","slug":"ihc-adopts-new-rules-by-razor-thin-majority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/ihc-adopts-new-rules-by-razor-thin-majority\/","title":{"rendered":"IHC adopts new rules by razor-thin majority"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2022 CJ turns down plea by some judges to postpone meeting as they haven\u2019t had a chance to review the voluminous document
\u2022 Move to have family courts hear polygamy cases gets full court nod<\/p>\n

ISLAMABAD: Despite strong resistance from senior judges, a full court meeting of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday adopted the High Court Establishment (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The rules were passed by a slim majority, while a proposal from two judges, seeking changes to the meeting\u2019s agenda, was rejected.<\/p>\n

According to the agenda, the full court had been convened to deliberate on three key issues: amendments to the law related to polygamy, structural flaws in the IHC building, and the adoption of the service rules.<\/p>\n

The meeting was attended by all 11 judges, including Chief Justice Sardar Moham\u00admad Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Jus\u00adtice Tariq Mehmood Jahan\u00adgiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ish\u00adaq Khan, Justice Khadim Hus\u00adsain Soomro, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, Justice Moham\u00admad Azam Khan, Jus\u00adt\u00adice Moham\u00admad Asif, and Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas.<\/p>\n

Polygamy law, building flaws<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sources said the full court unanimously approved the amendment to the polygamy law, under which such cases will now be tried by family courts instead of executive magistrates.<\/p>\n

It also decided to refer the IHC building case to the federal government for a thorough investigation into persistent issues. An inquiry conducted by the public works department earlier pointed out several defects in the elevators.<\/p>\n

The inquiry report noted that the elevators lacked certain features promised in the prototype and the specifications, but it failed to identify those responsible for the fau\u00adlty installation and maintenance.<\/p>\n

Apart from the elevators, the IHC building continues to suffer from multiple problems, including an ineffective cooling system and inadequate parking facilities for litigants and lawyers.<\/p>\n

The judges observed that instead of referring the matter directly to the National Accountability Bureau or the Federal Investigation Agency, the federal government should be asked to carry out a comprehensive probe and take corrective measures.<\/p>\n

CJ\u2019s powers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike these two agenda items, the proposed IHC Rules, 2025 triggered a sharp division among the judges. While the chief justice strongly supported them, senior judges, including Justice Kayani, Justice Jahangiri, Justice Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz, and Justice Imtiaz, opposed their adoption and urged amendments.<\/p>\n

A day before the meeting, Justice Sattar and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan had written letters to their colleagues, voicing serious concerns that administrative powers were being misused to sideline dissenting judges.<\/p>\n

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