ISLAMABAD: The district judiciary of Islamabad is at loggerheads with the capital police after the latter withdrew personnel assigned to the security of district court judges and dispatched them to Azad Kashmir to maintain law and order.

The judiciary issued a show-cause notice to a senior officer over the `blatant violation` of a directive from the chief justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding the security of judges.

The notice, issued by District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana, summoned the Deputy Inspector General (Security) to appear in person and explain why he should not face proceedings for `constant disobedience` of an order.

At the heart of the dispute is the repeated withdrawal of police personnel assigned to protect judges.

According to the notice, security details were again withdrawn on Friday for an `indefinite period,` leaving judicial officers `vulnerable` and exposing their lives to `high risk.

`This move directly contravenes a specific order issued by the IHC Chief Justice during his visit to the judicial complex on April 28, 2025. On that occasion, the Chief Justice had directed that no security personnel deputed to the complex be withdrawn for any special duty, warning that violation of the order would entail serious consequences.

The directive was formally conveyed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on April 30.

The judiciary has dismissed the police`s justification of manpower shortages.

It may be mentioned that due to a stay order, the recruitment of over 1100policemen has been stopped since August last year.

The notice issued by the district and sessions judge stated that the withdrawal of personnel was done `without any intimation or prior notice,` amounting to a direct challenge to the high court`s authority. It warned that failure to comply will result in `strict legal consequences under the law.` Copies have also been forwarded to the IHC registrar and the IGP, indicating possible escalation to contempt proceedings.

The security vacuum in Islamabad`s courts stems from the federal government`s decision to deploy 2,000 Islamabad Police personnel to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) at the request of the AJK government. Officials said the move was aimed at maintaining law and order, but critics view it as a pre-emptive measure to suppress protests, particularly the sit-in announced by the Joint Awami Action Committee on September 29.

The first batch of capital police, comprising over 1,000 personnel equipped with anti-riot gear, was dispatched to AJK in the early hours of September 25.

According to an official notification issued by the IGP, a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) from the Anti-Riot Force (ARF) had been appointed to command the contingent. He is supported by four SPs drawn from the C oun t e r-Te r r o r i sm Department (CTD), Security Division, Special Branch and Central Police Office (CPC).

Police sources said security in the courts was still intact and no official from the judicial complex had been withdrawn. The policemen for the personal security of judges have temporarily been withdrawn to maintain law and order in AJK, they added.