The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the longstanding requirement for lawyers to wear gowns during court proceedings until further notice. This decision, effective from April 1, was issued following directives from Chief Justice Aamir Farooq. The Deputy Registrar General formally communicated the order, marking a notable departure from traditional courtroom attire practices.
Meanwhile, in a significant development, the IHC has also lifted the stay on recruitment for Islamabad Police and other government departments. This ruling came from a three-member larger bench led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, addressing a case concerning the quota system applied in recruitment processes.
The case challenged the reserved quota allocations for provinces and territories in Islamabad-based government jobs. The court ruled that recruitment should proceed under the existing quota framework, which reserves 50 percent of positions for local candidates and the remainder for applicants from other provinces and territories. The hearing was adjourned following the lifting of the restraining order.
Chief Justice Dogar highlighted that recruitment had been stalled since 2024, adversely affecting many eligible candidates. He stressed that while residents of Islamabad have rightful claims, candidates from other provinces must also be accommodated as per the quota system.
Currently, the Islamabad Police is recruiting for 118 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), 800 constables, and 1,100 ministerial staff positions under this quota arrangement.
