The Lahore High Court is Lahore based and was founded as the High Court on 21st March 1882. It has jurisdiction all over Punjab. Its principal-seat is also in Lahore, but its benches are in three cities of Pakistan: Bahawalpur, Multan, and Rawalpindi.
Lawyers sent a proposal to establish new benches of high-court in D.G. Khan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, and Faisalabad, but LHC rejected this demand. This article carries every information about the court, including Lahore High Court History.
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Basic Information | |
| Formed: | 1919 |
| Details | |
| Court Name: | Lahore High Court |
| In Urdu: | عدالت عالیہ لاہور |
| Established: | 1919 |
| Location: | Lahore |
| Country: | Pakistan |
| Composition Method: | Presidential with confirmation of Chief Justice of Pakistan and Governor of Punjab. |
| Authorized By: | Constitution of Pakistan |
| Decisions are Appealed to: | Supreme Court of Pakistan |
| Judge Term Length: | Till 62 years of age |
| Number of Positions: | 60 |
| Current Executive: | Hon’ble Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali |
| Since: | 28 June 2016 |
| Lead Position Ends : | 27 November 2024 |
| Website: | http://www.lawsofpakistan.com/ |
Table of Contents
Lahore High Court History
The EIC (East India Company) defeated the Empire of Sikh in 1849 and took over Punjab’s administration control. An administration board was formed, and Punjab’s division was done into Tehsils, Districts, and Divisions.
Commissioners took control of Divisions, Deputy Commissioners took control of Districts, and Assistants & extra-assistant commissioners took over Tehsils’ control. Sir Henry, Charles Mansel, and John Lawrence were members of the Administration Board.
Punjab’s LHC Chief Court
Punjab and remaining British India were handed over to the British Crown in 1958, and Queen Victoria was given the authority to make decisions regarding justice and administration. An increasing number of court-cases made it necessary to expand the province’s judicial structure.
The province’s Punjab Courts-Act (XIX-1865) initiated 7-grades of the courts merging administrative and judicial assignments and demanding jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. Tehsildar Court got the status of ‘Lowest-Court,’ and Judicial Commissioner was granted the status of ‘Highest-Court’ inland.
In 1884 4-classes of courts were made subordinate to Chief-Court, namely ‘District Judge Court,’ ‘Subordinate Judge Court,’ ‘District Judge Court,’ and ‘Munsif Court.’
LHC
Punjab’s Chief Court’s status was raised to a level of ‘Lahore High-Court’ named as LHC (Lahore High-Court). George Frederick was designated as the Chief Justice and announced this court’s jurisdiction over Delhi and Punjab provinces.
Indian Government-Act 1935 eliminated the hurdle that Chief-Justice should be given the status of Barrister-Judge. It made this post available to ‘Civilian-Judges.’ Sixty age was set as a limit for high court judges. Indian Government Order-1937 set a limit for maximum strength of judges in Indian High Courts. For LHC, maximum number was set at Fifteen.
West Pakistan’s High Court
Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly established West Pakistan Province on 30th September 1995 and granted Governor-General authority to create High Court of West Pakistan founded in 1956. Sindh Chief Court’s judges & Peshawar Judicial-Commissioners Court became West Pakistan High Court’s judges.
Divisional Benches Establishment
Lahore High Court was authorized to establish benches at Rawalpindi, Multan, and Bahawalpur. Judges of LHC were also given the authority to form circuit-courts at any location in the province, having judges recommended by the Chief Justice of LHC.
LHC Chief Justice
In 1880 Sir Henry Plowden was 1st Chief Justice, and currently, Qasim Khan is serving as chief justice since 19th March 2020.
Administration
Rawalpindi Bench
- Mr. Ghafar Mehtab-Senior Additional Registrar
- Mr.Usman Shahid-Deputy Registrar
- Mr.Abdul Hafeez-Additional Registrar
Multan Bench
- Mr. Muhammad Walana-Senior Additional Registrar
- Mr. Muhammad Irfan-Deputy Registrar
- Muhammad Zahoor Hussein-Deputy Registrar
- Mr. Muhammad Shahid-Additional Registrar
- Mr. Naseem-Deputy Registrar
- Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz-Deputy Registrar
Bahawalpur Bench
- Mr. Khalid Mehmood-Senior Additional registrar
- Mr. Muhammad Maqsood-Deputy Registrar
- Mr. Nasarullah-Deputy Registrar
- Mr. Muhammad Sarwar-Additional Registrar
- Mr. Shahid Naseer-Deputy Registrar
Court Hours (Benches & Principal Seat)
Monday-Thursday
- Court Sittings 09:00 am-11:30 am
- Interval 11:30 AM-12:00 PM
- Court Sittings 12:00 pm-2:30 pm
Friday
- Court Sittings 09:00 am-11:30 am
- Interval 11:30 AM-12:00 PM
- Court Sittings 12:00 pm-01:00 Noon
Saturday
Saturday is not for court-sittings but is reserved for the dictating judgments.
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday & Saturday
- 08:30 AM-04:00 PM (01:00-02:00 PM Break)
Friday
- 08:30 am-01:00 pm
Departments
Research Center
The LHC took a creative step by establishing a ‘Research Center’ to give research assistance to honorable LHC judges. Justice Azmat Saeed, then-Chief Justice of LHC, approved this innovatory idea of Justice Mansoor Shah to establish a research center.
Then-Chief Justice inaugurated this center on 27th January 2012. SOPs were made for assigning job assignments to Research Officers and untroubled functioning of this center. The center has been founded in ‘Judges-Old Library’ located in the basement of High-Court’s building.
The purpose behind housing the research center in the old library was to facilitate research officials to easily access research materials that are law-reporters, law-journals, and books. Net and computer facilities have been provided.
Current Research officers
- Mr. Ahmad Zia
- Mr. Sher Hassan
- Mr. Muhammad Rizwan
- Mr. Shafqat Abbas
- Mr. Hamid-ul-Rehman
- Mr. Kashif Iftikhar
- Mr. Aftab Rana
- Mr. Fakhar Sial
- Mrs. Uzma Zahoor
- Mr. Kashif Pasha
- Ms. Afshan Sidra
NJP Implementation-Cell
‘National Judicial-Policy Implementation Cell’ was founded on 13th November 2012 by LHC to monitor oldest cases’ disposal (filed up to 31st December 2008) that were pending in Punjab District Judiciary. Muhammad Hafeez (District & Session Judge) supervised its establishment.
Ms. Bushra Zaman (Additional District & Sessions Judge) got designated as Monitoring Incharge to monitor oldest cases’ disposal with 3-civil judges Rana Aneel, Muhammad Fayaz, and Talalt Waheed.
Helpline
1134 is the helpline of LHC.
LHC Judges
Sitting Judges
Some of the sitting judges serving at LHC are Muhammad Qasim Khan (Chief Justice), Muhammad Ameer (Senior Puisne Judge), Justice Malik Shehzad, Justice Shujaat, Justice Ayesha, Justice Shahid, Justice Ali, Justice Atir, Justice Shahid, Justice Aalia, Justice Abid, Justice Tariq, Justice Masood, Justice Sadaqat, Justice Shams, Justice Shehbaz, Justice Jameel, Justice Faisal, Justice Mushtaq, Justice Mirza Waqas.
Former Chief Justices
Some of the former Chief Justices are Justice Mamoon, Justice Sardar Muhammad, Justice Anwar-ul -Haq, Justice Yawar, Justice Mansoor Shah, Justice Ijaz, Justice Manzoor, Justice Imtiaz, Justice Azmat, justice Ijaz, Justice Khawaja Shareef, Justice Iftikhar, Justice Falak, Justice Mehboob, Justice Rafique, Justice Aslam, Justice Rasheed, and Justice Qadeer-ud-din.
Former Judges
Some of the former judges are Justice Tasaddaq, Justice Abdul Manan, Justice Shareef, Justice Riaz, Justice Asif, Justice Nasira, Justice Karamat, Justice Rao Naeem, Justice Jahfar, Justice Javaid, Justice Mian Saeed-ur-Rehman, Justice Ghulam, and Justice Mumtaz.
LHC Pay Structure
Pay and Allowances of Chief Justice
- Basic Pay-713,280
- Superior Judicial-Officer Allowance-269,525
- House Rent-67,733
- Medical Allowance-65,000
Pay and Allowances of Judges
- Basic Pay-685,847
- Superior Judicial-Officer Allowance-269,525
- House Rent-65,000
- Medical Allowance-65,128
Privileges to the Sitting-Judges
- Official Car- 500 L Petrol/ Month
- Garden Charges-Rupees 25000/Annum
- Contingent Staff- Rupees 25000/Month
- Utility Bills-Unlimited
- Generator-22KV with max 4.5 L fuel/hours for five hours/day
Contact Information
- Lahore High Court Shahrah-e-Quaid -e-Azam Lahore Pakistan
- Phone # +92 42 99212951 – 66