There are five high courts of Pakistan, each based in the capital city of the four provinces, plus one in the federal capital, Islamabad. Articles 192 to 203 of the Constitution of Pakistan outline the constitution of the courts, appointment of the judges, their oath of office, and jurisdiction of the high courts.
History
At the time of partition in August 1947, the Lahore High Court, the Dacca High Court, the Chief Court of Sind and the Judicial Commissioner's Court in the North-West Frontier Province were deemed to be the four high courts of Pakistan.Government of India Act 1935 as adapted by the Pakistan (Provisional Constitution) Order 1947, S. 219
In 1955, the Dacca High Court and the Lahore High Court became the High Court of East Pakistan and the High Court of West Pakistan, respectively.High Court of West Pakistan (Establishment) Order, 1955 (G.G.O. XIX of 1955), Art. 3 The West Pakistan High Court had benches at Karachi and Peshawar as well as circuit courts at Quetta (replacing the Judicial Commissioner in Balochistan) and Bahawalpur (replacing the High Court of Judicature at Baghdad-ul-Jadid).as for the High Court of Baghdad-ul-Jadid at Bahawalpur cf. PLD 1953 BJ 59
As the province of West Pakistan was dissolved in 1970, three high courts were established: Lahore High Court, Peshawar High Court, and Sind and Balochistan High Court (with its principal seat at Karachi).High Courts (Establishment) Order, 1970 (P.O. No. 8 of 1970), Art. 3(1)
In 1976 the Sindh and Balochistan High Court was split into the High Court of Sind (Karachi) and the High Court of Balochistan (Quetta).Balochistan and Sind (High Courts) Order, 1976 (P.O. No. 6 of 1976), Art. 3
In 1985 the Lahore High Court had Benches at Bahawalpur, Multan and Rawalpindi; the High Court of Sind at Sukkur; the Peshawar High Court at Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan and the High Court of Baluchistan at Sibi.Revival of Constitution of 1973 Order, 1985 (P.O. No. 14 of 1985), Art. 2, Sch. item 39
In 2007, the government proposed a fifth high court to cover the Islamabad Capital Territory. This proposal was blocked by the Lahore High Court, but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 24 December 2007. As a result of the 18th constitutional amendment, the Islamabad High Court was established in 2010. The amendment also established the Mingora Bench of the Peshawar High Court and the Turbat Bench of the High Court of Baluchistan.
List of high courts High courtProvincePrincipal seatBenchesEstablished Lahore High Court Punjab Lahore Bahawalpur, Multan, Rawalpindi1866 Sindh High Court Sindh Karachi Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Mirpurkhas 1866 Peshawar High Court Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Peshawar Abbottabad, Mingora, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu1901 Balochistan High Court Balochistan Quetta Sibi, Turbat1976 Islamabad High Court Capital Territory Islamabad2010
Autonomous territories high courts
High courtTerritoryPrincipal seatBenches Azad Kashmir High Court Azad Kashmir Muzaffarabad Kotli, Mirpur, Rawalakot Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court Gilgit-Baltistan Gilgit Skardu
See also District courts of Pakistan Anti Terrorism Court of Pakistan
References
External links