Peshawar High Court


The Peshawar High Court is the highest judicial institution of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located in the provincial capital Peshawar. The Parliament passed a bill extending the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Peshawar High Court to Federally Administered Tribal Areas, one of a handful of reforms paving the way for a merger of the tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

History

During the last days of the 19th century, the viceroy of India Lord Curzon, proposed the creation of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province which was approved by the Secretary of State for India, Lord George F. Hamilton, on 20 December 1900.
The province was formally founded on 9 November 1901, had to get one Judicial Commissioner. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Law and Justice Regulation No. VII of 1901 was enacted by the Governor-General-in-Council, under section 3 of the Government of India Act, 1854, in order to establish judicial institutions.

Current formation

The Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 provides that Peshawar High Court shall have a Bench each at Abbottabad and DI Khan. Article 199 of the Constitution lays down in detail the jurisdiction of the High Court. The jurisdiction was more or less the same as provided under the Constitution of 1956 and further detailed under the Constitution of 1962.
The Constitution of Pakistan, 1956, Article 170, states that:
"Notwithstanding anything contained in Article 22, each High Court shall have power throughout the territories in relation to which it exercise jurisdiction, to issue to any person or authority, including in appropriate cases any Government directions, orders or writs, including writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari, for the enforcement of any of the rights conferred by Part II and for any other purpose."

Justices of Peshawar High Court

High Court is headed by a Chief Justice. The bench consist of Justices and additional judges. The retirement age of Chief Justice and Justices is 62 years. The Additional Judges are initially appointed for one year. After that their services could either be extended or they could be confirmed or they are retired. The current Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court is Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth.

Current Composition

The Peshawar High Court is currently made up of the following Justices.
No.NameAppointmentRetirementNote
1Waqar Ahmed Seth2 August 201115 March 2023Took oath as Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court on 28 June 2018
2Qaiser Rashid Khan2 August 201130 March 2023
3Roohul Amin Khan20 July 201231 March 2023
4Ikramullah Khan26 March 201331 December 2020
5Lal Jan Khattak26 March 20132 January 2023
6Musarrat Hilali26 March 20137 August 2023
7Muhammad Ibrahim Khan11 August 201614 April 2024
8Ishtiaq Ibrahim11 August 20161 December 2031
9Abdul Shakoor27 March 20173 January 2024
10Ijaz Anwar27 March 201714 January 2030
11Syed Muhammad Attique Shah27 March 201711 October 2030
12Muhammad Nasir Mehfooz16 June 20176 July 2021
13Shakeel Ahmad16 June 201729 May 2029
14Syed Arshad Ali16 June 20179 April 2033
15Sahibzada Asadullah19 August 201915 April 2034Elevated to the Bench as Additional Judge. Date of retirement is subjected to confirmation.
16Muhammad Naeem Anwar19 August 201914 June 2034Elevated to the Bench as Additional Judge. Date of retirement is subjected to confirmation.
17Wiqar Ahmad19 August 201919 March 2036Elevated to the Bench as Additional Judge. Date of retirement is subjected to confirmation.
18Vacant
19Vacant
20Vacant

Provisional Constitutional Order 25 March 1981

Former Judges - Name and Designation
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