Sardar Sarfraz Dogar takes helm as IHC Chief Justice: A look at his career
Pakistan
Justice Dogar began his tenure as LHC judge on June 8, 2015 and was transferred to IHC on Feb 1 2025
ISLAMABAD (Muhammad Ashfaq) – Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday, marking his appointment as the court’s seventh chief justice.
Transferred from the Lahore High Court, Justice Dogar was serving as the acting Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court following the elevation of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq to the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, he took the oath of office as permanent Chief Justice, administered by President Asif Ali Zardari.
The 56-year-old jurist began his tenure as a judge at the LHC on June 8, 2015, before being transferred to the Islamabad High Court on February 1, 2025.
During his nearly decade-long career at the LHC, Justice Dogar issued rulings in over 35,000 cases, many of which are regarded as judicial precedents. His notable rulings include the bail petition of Shehbaz Sharif and the Bahawalpur Islamia University video scandal, among other landmark cases.
Also read: Justice Dogar, three others sworn in as permanent high court chief justices
Following the February 8 General Elections last year, Justice Dogar was appointed to the Election Tribunal to adjudicate election petitions at the Election Commission and Lahore High Court. Additionally, on January 11, 2024, he was named as the head of a commission investigating the Bahawalpur Islamia University scandal. As commission head, he cleared students and faculty of allegations related to sexual harassment and drug use, instead attributing responsibility to YouTubers.
Justice Dogar has been vocal about systemic issues, frequently noting during hearings at the Lahore High Court that police incompetence tarnishes the judiciary’s reputation. He criticised the police for disregarding court orders and failing to enforce the law, unfairly shifting blame to the courts.
In a significant case at the Lahore High Court, Justice Dogar was part of a two-member bench hearing a bail plea by then-opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif in an assets-beyond-means and money laundering case. While Justice Dogar favoured granting bail, his colleague Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural opposed it. A referee bench ultimately upheld Justice Dogar’s stance, approving Sharif’s bail.
Upon assuming his new role, Chief Justice Dogar issued a statement emphasising that the strict administration of justice in accordance with the law "is the cornerstone of any judicial system."
