IHC Dismisses Petition Against Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz Appointment

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz as a judge, declaring it inadmissible for hearing and observing that the plea appeared to undermine judicial independence.

The court, in a detailed two-page order, described the petition as an attempt to malign the judiciary and interfere with its institutional autonomy.

Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, in his written observations, stated that repeated attempts to attack the dignity of the judiciary were “extremely unfortunate” and cautioned the petitioner to exercise restraint in the future. He further noted that the allegations raised in the petition were baseless, unverified, and prima facie fell within the ambit of contempt of court.

The judge observed that the claims either related to judicial conduct or court proceedings, and reiterated that the legal system already provides proper forums for redressal. He pointed out that appeals against judicial decisions can be filed through appropriate channels, while matters concerning the alleged misconduct of judges fall under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Judicial Council.

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The petition had been filed by Advocate Kalsoom Khaliq, while the Registrar’s Office had already raised objections regarding its maintainability.

Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, whose appointment was challenged in the plea, was recently transferred to the Sindh High Court as part of judicial postings.

The ruling underscores the court’s stance on protecting judicial independence while discouraging petitions perceived as targeting the credibility of the judiciary without substantive evidence.