Justice Babar Sattar has been instructed to vacate his official residence in Islamabad after his transfer from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to the Peshawar High Court (PHC). This directive was issued through a notice by the IHC registrar, confirming that the Estate Office cancelled his accommodation on July 3.
The notice grants Justice Sattar a 30-day period to leave the residence, starting from the date of cancellation. It clarifies that his transfer to the PHC had already been effected, prompting the cancellation of his government-provided housing in Islamabad.
Following the transfer, Justice Sattar reportedly did not occupy official accommodation in Peshawar, opting instead to retain the Islamabad residence. However, judicial rules permit a judge to maintain only one official residence at a time.
Security personnel visited Justice Sattar’s Islamabad home recently but departed without incident. At that time, Justice Sattar was on court vacation and was not present at the residence.
Justice Sattar’s transfer to the PHC took place in April 2026 as part of a broader reshuffle involving Islamabad High Court judges. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan approved the transfer of three judges: Justice Sattar to the PHC, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani to the Lahore High Court, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to the Sindh High Court. These transfers were formalized by the Ministry of Law and Justice under Article 200 of the Constitution, which governs the transfer of judges between high courts.
Notably, Justice Sattar had earlier attracted public attention as one of six Islamabad High Court judges who, in March 2024, raised concerns with the Supreme Judicial Council about alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters. This episode sparked significant debate regarding judicial independence in Pakistan.
