LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh has tendered his resignation from the bench with immediate effect, according to his resignation letter dated September 3, 2026.
Justice Sheikh submitted his resignation under Article 206 of the Constitution and addressed it to the President of Pakistan. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the LHC registrar.
In his letter, Justice Sheikh said, “It has been an honour and a privilege to have served in this office”, adding that he had contributed to the administration of justice in accordance with his “oath and conscience.”
Reflecting on his time on the bench, he wrote, “My years on the Bench have been the most formative and fulfilling of my professional life.”
He said that after “deep and sustained reflection”, he had decided that his future development as a jurist and his ability to contribute to the rule of law and access to justice would be better served by broader engagement outside the bench.
Justice Sheikh said he intended to focus on “legal scholarship, policy research and comparative judicial practice.”
He also expressed gratitude to his senior colleagues and staff, saying their guidance, wisdom and assistance had been “invaluable” throughout his tenure.
Concluding the letter, Justice Sheikh reaffirmed his commitment to the judiciary’s core principles, writing: “I leave the Bench with an enduring commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law.”
Justice Sheikh was appointed an additional judge of the LHC on May 7, 2021, and was later confirmed as a permanent judge. He was due to retire in 2036.
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A graduate of the London School of Economics and a barrister of the Middle Temple, Justice Sheikh practised law for around two decades before joining the LHC. He served on the Pakistan Bar Council from 2016 to 2020 and chaired its human rights committee.
The resignation letter does not cite any specific case, institutional dispute or political controversy as the reason for his departure.
