ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar on Tuesday administered oath to three newly appointed judges, raising the strength of the high court to 10, while three seats remain vacant.
The three vacant positions are expected to be filled through transfers in accordance with the decision of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP).
Those who took oath were Justice Ayyaz Shaukat, Justice Umair Majeed Malik and Justice Shahrukh Arjumand.
Justice Ayyaz Shaukat is an expert in tax, banking and commercial matters, with extensive experience in constitutional, corporate and commercial litigation. He has previously represented clients before superior courts in complex legal disputes.
Court’s strength rises to 10, three seats still vacant
He had served as advocate general (AG) Islamabad before his elevation to the high court. In March this year, he was appointed chairman of the Pakistan Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority.
His experience in public law and commercial litigation is expected to contribute to the adjudication of the diverse constitutional and civil matters coming before the IHC.
Justice Umair Majeed Malik is a well-known lawyer with expertise in legislative drafting and several specialised areas of law. He served as a legal consultant with the National Accountability Bureau from 2002 to 2005.
His professional experience also includes the oil and gas sector, where he dealt with petroleum laws, regulatory regimes, petroleum policies and rules, gas sale agreements, employment and labour laws and procurement contracts. He has also provided legal opinions and advisory services to the construction sector on laws, rules, regulations and bylaws and drafted and vetted various construction contracts.
Justice Shahrukh Arjumand belongs to the remote district of Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is the first judge from the district to be elevated to any high court.
He obtained his LLB degree from the University of Peshawar and joined the judiciary as a civil judge in 2003. He was promoted to the rank of sessions judge in 2017. His elevation marks a significant development for the legal fraternity of Upper Dir, which has historically remained underrepresented in the superior judiciary.
Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2026
