Says he is leaving the Bench with an enduring commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law
ISLAMABAD:
Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Muhammad Raheel Kamran Sheikh on Thursday resigned as a judge, saying he wanted to pursue broader engagement with legal scholarship, policy research and comparative judicial practice.
In his resignation letter addressed to the president on September 3, Justice Muhammad Raheel Kamran Sheikh said he was tendering his resignation “from the office of Judge of the Lahore High Court, with immediate effect”.
A copy of the resignation was also sent to the LHC registrar.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to have served in this office,” he said. He said he had contributed to “the administration of justice” in accordance with his “oath and conscience”.
“My years on the Bench have been the most formative and fulfilling of my professional life,” Justice Sheikh said.
However, he said that after “deep and sustained reflection I have concluded that my further development as a jurist, and my capacity to contribute to the rule of law and access to justice, would be best served by a period of broader engagement with legal scholarship, policy research and comparative judicial practice.”
Justice Sheikh expressed his gratitude to senior colleagues on the Bench, “whose guidance and wisdom have been invaluable throughout my tenure.” He also expressed “sincere gratitude” to his staff for their “dedicated assistance”.
Justice Sheikh said he was leaving the Bench with “an enduring commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law.”
Justice Muhammad Raheel Kamran Sheikh was known as an outspoken judge and was appointed to the Lahore High Court (LHC) in May 2021 during the tenure of then-chief justice Gulzar Ahmed. He is the son of renowned lawyer Akram Sheikh.
Before his elevation to the bench, Sheikh was a member of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC). He had also filed petitions seeking greater transparency in the functioning of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP).
His appointment to the LHC had reportedly faced strong opposition from a section within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government at the time.
It has been learnt that Sheikh had also raised his voice during a full court meeting for the early disposal of bail matters involving female political prisoners affiliated with the PTI. The meeting was held during the tenure of then-LHC Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan.
According to reports, some senior judges of the LHC were displeased with his remarks during the meeting. There were also reports at the time that the executive could seek the transfer of several LHC judges, including Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh, to other high courts.
Several superior court judges have tendered their resignations in recent years.
Two Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, tendered their resignations following the passage of the 27th Amendment. Subsequently, Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Shams Mahmood Mirza also resigned from his post.
Earlier, LHC Judge Shahid Jameel resigned from his office in February 2024. Another LHC judge, Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz, had also tendered his resignation.
