Court Name: | Balochistan High Court |
Imagesize2: | 225 |
Jurisdiction: | Balochistan |
Location: | Principal Seat: Quetta Circuit Benches: Sibi & Turbat |
Type: | Appointment by President on Judicial Commission recommendation. |
Authority: | Constitution of Pakistan |
Appealsto: | Supreme Court of Pakistan |
Appealsfrom: | District Courts of Balochistan |
Terms: | Till 62 years of age |
Positions: | 15 |
Chiefjudgetitle: | Chief Judge |
Chiefjudgename: | Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar |
Termstart: | 11 March 2024 |
The Balochistan High Court (Urdu: {{nq|عدالتِ عالیہ بلوچستان) is the highest judicial institution of Balochistan, Pakistan. The court is formally known as the High Court of Balochistan. It is situated in the provincial capital, Quetta.
Mir Ali Dost Bugti was the first judge of the Balochistan High Court. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan is the current Chief Justice, having taken charge on 9 August 2021.[1]
The Balochistan Bar Council is a statutory & deliberative assembly of lawyers in Balochistan for safeguarding the rights, interests, and privileges of practicing lawyers within Balochistan province, Pakistan. The Council also regulates the conduct of lawyers and helps in the administration of justice. It has been constituted by Section 3(ii) of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 of the constitution of Pakistan. All lower court and High Court lawyers within Balochistan are licensed with this council.The Balochistan Bar Council consists of a Vice Chairman, & Chairman Executive Committee, both elected by Members of the Balochistan Bar Council each year and these Members are elected by the advocates from four (04) Groups of different constituencies across Balochistan Province. Members serve a term of five years, beginning on January 1, with elections held each November to fill seats of those whose terms will expire in the following January. The Advocate General of Balochistan acts as ex-officio Chairman of the Balochistan Bar Council.
The Balochistan High Court is headed by a Chief Justice. The bench consists of Justices and additional judges. The retirement age of the Chief Justice and the 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 High Court of Balochistan is currently made up of the following Justices (in order of seniority).[2] In January 2018, the President of Pakistan increased the number of judges from eleven to fifteen.[3] [4]
No. | Name | Appointment | Retirement | Note(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Muhammad Hashim Kakar | 12 May 2011 | 17 September 2025 | Acting (yet to be confirmed by JCP) | |
2 | Muhammad Ejaz Swati | 30 August 2013 | 5 June 2025 | ||
3 | Muhammad Kamran Khan Mulakhail | 30 August 2013 | 18 January 2030 | ||
4 | Zaheer-ud-Din Kakar | 13 August 2016 | 22 April 2025 | ||
5 | Abdullah Baloch | 13 August 2016 | 14 March 2025 | ||
6 | Rozi Khan Barrech | 28 May 2019 | 6 April 2026 | ||
7 | Iqbal Ahmed Kasi | 7 July 2022 | 15 August 2026 | ||
8 | Shaukat Ali Rakhshani | 7 July 2022 | 3 August 2031 | ||
9 | Gul Hassan Tareen | 7 July 2022 | 23 June 2036 | ||
10 | Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana | 7 July 2022 | 20 November 2036 | ||
11 | Sardar Ahmed Haleemi | 7 July 2022 | 11 February 2037 | ||
12 | Vacant | ||||
13 | Vacant | ||||
14 | Vacant | ||||
15 | Vacant |
Did not take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order, being the chief justice
Took oath under PCO to become the chief justice