ISLAMABAD (HRNW) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has officially terminated contempt proceedings in the Dr. Aafia Siddiqui case by withdrawing the previously issued order for contempt notices against the Prime Minister and the Federal Cabinet. A four-member larger bench, headed by Justice Arbab Tahir, issued a written order declaring that the July 21, 2025, decision by a single bench was legally void because that bench had not been properly constituted. The court reaffirmed that the Chief Justice, as the “Master of the Roster,” holds the exclusive authority under Article 202 of the Constitution and High Court rules to form benches and assign cases.
The judgment clarified that no individual judge or bench can take up, maintain, or transfer a case to themselves without the Chief Justice’s formal approval. Furthermore, the court stated that any grievances regarding the formation of a bench must be addressed through administrative channels rather than judicial orders. This ruling effectively settles the procedural dispute regarding the case’s jurisdiction and provides relief to the country’s top executive leadership from the threat of contempt charges.
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