High courts of Pakistan

High courts of Pakistan

Pakistan has five high courts located in the capital cities of each of its four provinces and the federal capital, Islamabad. The Constitution of Pakistan, specifically Articles 192 to 203, provides detailed guidelines on the establishment of these courts. These articles cover various aspects, including the formation of the high courts, the process for appointing judges, the oath that judges must take upon assuming office, and the scope of the high courts’ jurisdiction.

Historical Context

• 1947: At the time of Pakistan’s independence, the key high courts included the Lahore High Court, the Dhaka High Court, the Chief Court of Sind, and the Judicial Commissioner’s Court in the North-West Frontier Province.
• 1955: The Lahore High Court and the Dhaka High Court were renamed as the High Court of West Pakistan and the High Court of East Pakistan, respectively. The West Pakistan High Court had additional benches in Karachi and Peshawar and circuit courts in Quetta and Bahawalpur.
• 1970: Following the dissolution of West Pakistan, three high courts were established: Lahore High Court, Peshawar High Court, and the Sind and Balochistan High Court, with the principal seat in Karachi.
• 1976: The Sind and Balochistan High Court was split into the Sindh High Court in Karachi and the Balochistan High Court in Quetta.
• 1985: Benches of the Lahore High Court were established in Bahawalpur, Multan, and Rawalpindi; the Sindh High Court had a bench in Sukkur; the Peshawar High Court had benches in Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan, and the Balochistan High Court had a bench in Sibi.
• 2007-2010: The proposal for the Islamabad High Court faced initial resistance but was eventually established following the 18th constitutional amendment, which also added new benches to existing high courts.

These courts are essential to the judicial framework in Pakistan, providing legal recourse and adjudicating significant civil, criminal, and constitutional cases within their respective jurisdictions.

List of High Courts

Here is Detailed Overview of High Courts in Pakistan;

Lahore High Court (Punjab)

• Principal Seat: Lahore
• Benches: Bahawalpur, Multan, Rawalpindi
• Established: 1866
• Description: The Lahore High Court is the oldest high court in Pakistan. It serves the province of Punjab and has benches in key cities to handle regional cases.

For More details you can visit: Lahore High Court (Punjab)

Sindh High Court (Sindh)

• Principal Seat: Karachi
• Benches: Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Mirpurkhas
• Established: 1866
• Description: The Sindh High Court, based in Karachi, covers the entire province of Sindh. The additional benches facilitate access to justice in various parts of the province.

For More details you can visit: Sindh High Court (Sindh)

Peshawar High Court (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

• Principal Seat: Peshawar
• Benches: Abbottabad, Mingora, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu
• Established: 1901
• Description: Serving the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Peshawar High Court has several benches to ensure legal services are available across the region, especially in remote areas.

For More details you can visit: Peshawar High Court (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

Balochistan High Court (Balochistan)

• Principal Seat: Quetta
• Benches: Sibi, Turbat
• Established: 1976
• Description: The Balochistan High Court, located in Quetta, is relatively newer compared to the other provincial high courts. It serves the sparsely populated Balochistan province, with benches in key locations to cover its vast area.

For More details you can visit: Balochistan High Court (Balochistan)

Islamabad High Court (Capital Territory)

• Principal Seat: Islamabad
• Established: 2010
• Description: The Islamabad High Court was established to serve the Islamabad Capital Territory, providing a dedicated judiciary body for the federal capital.

For More details you can visit: Islamabad High Court (Capital Territory)

High Courts in Autonomous Territories

Azad Kashmir High Court

• Territory: Azad Kashmir
• Principal Seat: Muzaffarabad
• Benches: Kotli, Mirpur, Rawalakot
• Description: This court serves the autonomous region of Azad Kashmir, with benches ensuring legal access throughout the territory.

For More details you can visit: Azad Kashmir High Court

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court

• Territory: Gilgit-Baltistan
• Principal Seat: Gilgit
• Benches: Skardu
• Description: The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court is the highest judicial authority in the region, with its principal seat in Gilgit and a bench in Skardu to cover the extensive mountainous area.

For More details you can visit: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court

Pakistan’s judiciary system is anchored by five high courts situated in the provincial capitals and the federal capital, Islamabad. Each high court is strategically located and supplemented with additional benches to ensure comprehensive legal coverage and accessibility across their respective regions.