ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) finally ended a deadlock as it formally met acting Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar in the latter’s office on Thursday.

The IHCBA’s delegation headed by newly-elected President Syed Wajid Ali Gillani called on Justice Dogar with a long wish-list in hand.

With the first ever meeting of the bench and bar, the legal fraternity expected smooth functioning of the courts from now onwards.

The gesture of the new cabinet is sharply different from the stance of former IHCBA president Riyasat Ali Azad, who vehemently opposed the 26th amendment to the constitution, transfer of three judges from other high courts to the IHC and subsequent appointment of Justice Dogar as the acting chief justice.

Earlier on Wednesday, incumbent president and the secretary bar separately held meetings with the acting CJ. The cabinet of the IHCBA was elected on Feb 22.

The Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) supported Mr Gillani in the bar’s election. He was also backed by Hamid Khan and Shoaib Shaheen.

Interestingly, secretary IHCBA Manzoor Ahmed Jajja was contesting from Gillani’s rival group that was agitating the transfer of judges and even filed a petition before the Supreme Court.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2025