Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani resigns, citing concerns over judicial independence

• LHC judge cites health, personal reasons and concerns over the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments.
• Says executive influence over judicial appointments and transfers has weakened public confidence in the justice system.
• Plans to return to legal practice after deciding more than 23,000 cases during his judicial career.

Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani resigned on Wednesday, citing health concerns, personal reasons and reservations about the effects of the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments on judicial independence, Aaj News reported.

In a resignation letter addressed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Justice Kayani said the constitutional changes had weakened the independence and institutional integrity of high courts. He also raised concerns over growing executive influence in the appointment and transfer of judges, saying it had eroded public trust in the justice system.

His decision comes months after his transfer from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to the LHC in April 2026, approved through a majority decision of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. Before the transfer, he served as the IHC’s senior puisne judge and ranked second on its seniority list.

According to reports, Justice Kayani was placed 12th on the LHC’s seniority list after the move. He had also challenged transfers between high courts and voiced concerns about judicial administration.

Explaining his decision to leave office, Justice Kayani said his conscience no longer allowed him to remain on the bench. He stressed that judicial office must be rooted in independence, loyalty to the Constitution and respect for human dignity.

He also highlighted the problems faced by ordinary litigants, saying their needs were increasingly being overlooked. This, he said, had damaged public confidence in the fairness of judicial proceedings.

Reflecting on his career, Justice Kayani said he had decided more than 23,000 cases while seeking to uphold the Constitution, safeguard fundamental rights and dispense justice without fear or favour.

He said he intended to return to legal practice, where he would continue serving the public, defending people’s rights and promoting legal awareness.

Justice Kayani was among six IHC judges who wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council in March 2024 to highlight alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

More recently, a revised LHC duty roster assigned him to the court’s Rawalpindi registry, where he was scheduled to hear cases as a single bench.

Appointed an IHC judge on December 23, 2015, Justice Kayani was due to retire on February 11, 2032. His resignation ends more than a decade of service as a high court judge.