IHC lifts stay on police and other recruitment in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has lifted the stay on recruitment in Islamabad Police and other government institutions, marking a major development in the ongoing case concerning the quota system.

A three-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, heard the case, which challenges the allocation of reserved quotas for provinces and other territories in the recruitment of Islamabad-based government departments.

The court ordered that recruitment in Islamabad, including the police, health, and other institutions, should proceed according to the existing quota system. The hearing was adjourned after lifting the restraining order.

Chief Justice Dogar noted that recruitment had been stalled since 2024, preventing many eligible candidates from securing jobs. He emphasized that while Islamabad residents have rights, candidates from other provinces are also entitled to the allocated quotas.

The Islamabad Police is recruiting 118 ASIs, 800 constables, and 1,100 ministerial staff. Under the quota system, 50 percent of seats are reserved for local candidates, with the remaining reserved for applicants from other provinces and territories.

Earlier, in August 2024, Justice Kayani had issued a stay order to halt the induction of candidates from outside the capital. The court had sought guidance from the attorney general and advocate general regarding provincial quotas and their application to Islamabad-based vacancies.

Petitions challenging the quota system argued that all positions up to BPS-15 in Islamabad should be filled exclusively by local domicile holders.

However, the IHC has now allowed recruitment to proceed under the current quota framework, ensuring both local and provincial representation.