Update · 28 Oct 2026, 1:35 PM PKT: Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani addressed his resignation letter, dated October 28, to President Asif Ali Zardari. In the letter, Justice Kayani said the needs of ordinary litigants had too often been neglected while other actors benefited from a system meant to serve them. He said he intended to return to legal practice after leaving the bench, with plans to protect people's rights and promote legal awareness.
He was assigned to the LHC's principal seat in Lahore and later moved to its Rawalpindi Bench under a revised judges' roster. Justice Kayani was due to retire in 2032. He was placed 10th on the LHC's seniority list, while ranking second on the Islamabad High Court's seniority list.
LAHORE: Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani has stepped down as a judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC), with sources citing “personal reasons” for the decision. Kayani was one of three judges transferred from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to other high courts in April, on a proposal initiated by IHC Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar.
A Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) meeting, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, approved the transfers on April 28 by majority vote. Kayani was moved to the LHC, Justice Babar Sattar to the Peshawar High Court, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to the Sindh High Court.
Resignation letter cites health and conscience
In his resignation letter, Kayani said he was leaving for “personal reasons, including health concerns following my recent surgery”, as well as reasons of conscience. He described his service at the IHC and LHC as a “privilege” and said those years remained among the most meaningful of his life.
He said he had disposed of more than 23,000 cases across various categories during his tenure. He added that he had always worked to uphold the Constitution, safeguard fundamental rights and administer justice “without fear or favour”.
Judge criticises constitutional amendments on judicial independence
Kayani argued that the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Constitutional Amendments had “compromised the independence and institutional integrity of the High Courts”. He said he had seen what he regarded as “the executive’s growing control over judicial institutions, extending to the appointment and transfer of judges.”
He maintained that such interference had seriously eroded public confidence in judicial independence and the fairness of the judicial process. The report said the story was developing and that further details would be added.
