Justice Athar Minallah became the third Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court on Wednesday. President Dr Arif Alvi administered oath from Justice Minallah here at Aiwan-i-Sadr. Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman was the first chief justice of IHC. After his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2013, Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi became CJ IHC. Justice Kasi retired on November 27 after attaining the age of superannuation. The Islamabad High Court was established in January 2011.
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had on November 1 unanimously recommended Justice Minallah as the next IHC chief justice. On November 8, the Parliamentary Committee on Judges Appointment endorsed the recommendations and forwarded them to the President through the Prime Minister for the appointment of Justice Minallah as CJ IHC. Justice Minallah was notified as the next chief justice of the high court on November 14 following the approval by President Arif Alvi.
Justice Minallah was third on the seniority list in the IHC. But after the removal of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on the recommendations of the Supreme Judicial Council, Justice Minallah became the senior puisne judge of the IHC.
Justice Minallah is the eldest son of Nasrum Minallah who was a commissioner during the 1960s and 70s. He is the son-in-law of Justice Safdar Shah who was part of the bench that convicted and sentenced former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto but he had written a dissenting note against the conviction, for which he faced the wrath of the then military dictator General Ziaul Haq. Justice Minallah joined Pakistan Customs and rose to senior positions but later resigned and started practicing law.