Gilgit, Nov 6: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the extension of Chief Judge Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan’s tenure at the Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court for another three years, a notification issued by the Gilgit-Baltistan Council confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the notification, the extension was granted under Article 75(5) of the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018, on the advice of the Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan. “The Prime Minister of Pakistan/Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council has been pleased to appoint Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan as Chief Judge of the Supreme Appellate Court, Gilgit-Baltistan, with effect from November 5 till attaining the age of 70 years, in terms of Article 75(8) of the GB Order 2018,” the notification read.
Chief Judge Shamim Khan’s previous three-year term concluded on November 4, and the new appointment ensures continuity in the top judicial position of the region’s highest appellate body.
Three-year tenure of Chief Judge Shamim Khan ended on November 4. https://t.co/KRntE7p2jN
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 6, 2025
Justice Shamim Khan, a retired judge of the Lahore High Court, was initially appointed as GB’s chief judge in November 2021. During his tenure, he has overseen several key judicial reforms and heard high-profile constitutional and administrative cases involving governance and autonomy in the region.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court is the highest judicial authority in the region, functioning as the equivalent of a supreme court under the GB Order 2018. The chief judge heads the court, which hears appeals from the GB Chief Court and constitutional petitions under its jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has forwarded a summary of eight candidates to the GB Council for the two vacant positions of judges in the Supreme Appellate Court. The appointments, once approved, are expected to strengthen the court’s capacity to address an increasing backlog of pending cases.
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The extension of Justice Shamim Khan’s tenure is being viewed as a move to ensure judicial stability and continuity amid the ongoing process of judicial appointments in the region.
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