The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has recently taken a significant step by lifting the stay order that had halted recruitment processes within the Islamabad Police and various other government departments. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal dispute surrounding the controversial quota system applied to job allocations in the federal capital. The case, which has attracted considerable attention, was heard by a larger bench of three judges, led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar.
The bench examined the challenges posed against the current system of reserving seats for candidates from different provinces and territories, specifically in recruitment drives for Islamabad-based government institutions. After thorough deliberation, the court directed that recruitment activities should resume immediately, following the existing quota framework. This framework ensures that a portion of available positions is reserved for residents of Islamabad, while the rest are allocated to applicants from other provinces and regions.
Chief Justice Dogar highlighted the adverse impact of the recruitment freeze, which had been in place since early 2024. He pointed out that this halt had deprived numerous qualified candidates of employment opportunities, thereby affecting both individuals and the functioning of key departments. The Chief Justice stressed the importance of balancing the rights of Islamabad residents with the constitutional provisions that guarantee representation for candidates from across Pakistan. This balanced approach, he noted, is essential to maintain fairness and inclusivity in public sector hiring.
Among the recruitment drives affected by the stay were those for the Islamabad Police, which is currently in the process of hiring 118 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), 800 constables, and 1,100 ministerial staff members. the quota system, 50 percent of these positions are earmarked for candidates holding domicile of Islamabad, while the remaining half is reserved for applicants from other provinces and territories. This distribution aims to reflect the federal capital’s diverse demographic composition and uphold national integration.
It is worth recalling that the recruitment freeze was initially imposed in August 2024 when Justice Kayani issued a stay order to suspend the induction of candidates from outside Islamabad. The court had sought detailed input from the attorney general and advocate general to clarify how provincial quotas should be applied to vacancies within Islamabad. Several petitions had challenged the quota system, arguing that all posts up to BPS-15 in Islamabad should be filled exclusively by local domicile holders, a demand that sparked widespread debate about the rights of federal capital residents versus national representation.
With the recent ruling, the Islamabad High Court has reaffirmed the validity of the existing quota system, allowing recruitment to proceed without discrimination against candidates from any province. This decision not only facilitates the timely filling of critical vacancies but also underscores the judiciary’s role in balancing regional interests with constitutional mandates. Moving forward, government departments in Islamabad can resume their hiring processes, ensuring that both local and provincial candidates receive fair opportunities in public sector employment.
