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Justice Bilal dismisses Imran Khan’s petition in judges transfer case
In judges transfer case, SC bench led by Justice Mazhar criticizes PTI’s petition, calling it embarrassing and baseless. Hearing adjourned till Friday.
ND
by News Desk
2025-05-21
Justice Bilal dismisses Imran Khan’s petition in judges transfer case

In a significant hearing before a five-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, objections were raised against the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan regarding the transfer of judges. Justice Shahid Bilal expressed strong disapproval of the petition, calling it unprecedented and suggesting it was embarrassing even to the judges involved.

The constitutional bench scrutinized the petition’s claims, which alleged that judges were targeted for granting relief to Imran Khan. Justice Mazhar remarked that even High Court judges were embarrassed by such assertions and pointed out that no judge had complained about being targeted for such decisions.

Imran Khan’s lawyer, Idrees Ashraf, argued that the transfers were temporary and pointed out discrepancies between different categories of judges, including issues around allowances and seniority. However, Justice Mazhar countered by referring to the 18th Amendment, which removed the term “exchange” for transfers, and emphasized that the appointment of judges now falls under the Judicial Commission’s jurisdiction.

Karachi Bar lawyer Faisal Siddiqui highlighted that the core issue was the disruption caused by the executive, which had obscured the seniority list and kept the transfer process secret. The bench questioned how the executive could influence a constitutional power such as judges’ transfers.

Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan was particularly critical, describing the petition as borderline frivolous and hinting at imposing a fine for filing it. He questioned the political motivations behind the petition and expressed disappointment over the allegations made against judges.

The hearing was adjourned until Friday, with arguments to be continued by Faisal Siddiqui. The court will further examine the complex issues of judicial seniority and the constitutional procedures surrounding the transfer of judges.

 
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