# Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani moves to LHC Rawalpindi bench from 2 November in roster reshuffle

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/justice-mohsin-akhtar-kayani-moves-to-lhc-rawalpindi-bench-from-2-november-in)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 27 Oct 2026
Updated: 27 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 27 Oct 2026

> The former Islamabad High Court senior puisne judge returns to the twin cities to hear cases on a single bench at the Rawalpindi registry until 24 December.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani has been placed at the **Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi registry**, where he will preside over a single bench under the court's new duty roster for November and December 2026. The roster runs from **2 November to 24 December**, [Dawn reported](https://www.dawn.com/news/2040120/justice-mohsin-akhtar-kayani-posted-to-pindi-bench-after-reshuffle-at-lahore-high-court) on Tuesday.

The move brings him back to the twin cities. Since his transfer to the LHC in April 2026 he had sat at the principal seat in Lahore and was not placed on any division bench there.

## Who sits in Rawalpindi from 2 November

The LHC roster sets three division benches and six single benches at the Rawalpindi registry:

| Bench | Judges |
|---|---|
| Criminal division bench | Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, Justice Syed Farhad Ali Shah |
| Civil division bench | Justice Mirza Viqas Rauf, Justice Muhammad Raza Qureshi |
| Special division bench | Justice Mirza Viqas Rauf, Justice Syed Farhad Ali Shah |
| Single benches (6) | Justices Sadaqat Ali Khan, Mirza Viqas Rauf, Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Muhammad Raza Qureshi, Malik Javid Iqbal Wains, Syed Farhad Ali Shah |

For litigants and lawyers whose cases are heard at the Rawalpindi registry, the roster decides which judge takes their matter over the next eight weeks.

## How he got here

Justice Kayani was the Islamabad High Court's senior puisne judge and was widely expected to become its chief justice. That changed when Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar was transferred from the LHC to the IHC, together with two judges from the Sindh and Balochistan high courts, and later became the IHC's chief justice.

Justice Kayani challenged those inter-high court transfers. The Supreme Court's constitutional bench upheld them. He and other senior IHC judges then questioned the chief justice's administrative powers over the roster, according to Dawn. After his own move to the LHC he lost his seniority and now stands 12th on the LHC's seniority list.

## What happens next

The new roster takes effect on Monday 2 November and runs until 24 December, after which the LHC will issue its next roster.

If you have a case before the high court and need to work out court fees or stamp duty on a property matter, our [stamp duty calculator](/tools/property/stamp-duty-calculator) and the [Rawalpindi lawyers and legal services listings](/businesses/lawyers/rawalpindi) may help.

## Frequently asked questions

**Where will Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani sit from November 2026?**

On a single bench at the Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi registry, under the roster that runs from 2 November to 24 December 2026.

## Sources

- Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani posted to Pindi bench after reshuffle at Lahore High Court (Dawn): https://www.dawn.com/news/2040120/justice-mohsin-akhtar-kayani-posted-to-pindi-bench-after-reshuffle-at-lahore-high-court

How to cite: "Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani moves to LHC Rawalpindi bench from 2 November in roster reshuffle", Searchable, 27 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/justice-mohsin-akhtar-kayani-moves-to-lhc-rawalpindi-bench-from-2-november-in