Key Takeaways
- The IHC registrar issued a notice to Peshawar High Court Judge Babar Sattar, ordering him to vacate his Islamabad residence.
- Justice Sattar had been residing in the federal capital despite being transferred to the PHC.
- The directive follows the cancellation of official accommodation by the Estate Office.
Following a decision by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) registrar has directed Peshawar High Court Judge Babar Sattar to vacate his residence in Islamabad within 30 days. The notice was issued on Friday and is based on the cancellation of official accommodation for Justice Sattar following his transfer.
On April 28, the Judicial Commission approved the transfer of Justice Sattar from the IHC to the PHC. Despite this, he chose to continue residing in Islamabad during his tenure at the provincial high court rather than seeking a separate official residence in Peshawar.
The Estate Office cancelled the allotment of the official residence on July 3, leading to the issuance of the notice by the IHC registrar. The directive states that Justice Sattar has one month from this date to vacate his premises, with the period calculated from July 3. Consequently, he is required to leave his Islamabad residence by August 3.
Sources indicated that officials visited Justice Sattar’s Islamabad residence on Wednesday but left without incident as he was not present due to judicial leave. The issue of official accommodation for superior court judges has long been contentious in Pakistan, with a recent judgment authored by Justice Sattar affirming their right to such accommodations from the date of appointment.
In 2023, Justice Sattar’s ruling held that judges were entitled to official accommodation throughout their service, based on a presidential order rather than general government employee rules. This decision underscores the ongoing debate over judicial privileges and administrative practices in Pakistan's legal system.
The directive from the IHC registrar highlights the complexities surrounding the allocation of official residences for high court judges and the potential conflicts that may arise when such arrangements are not aligned with administrative decisions.
