Lawyers' representatives from the federal capital on Tuesday demanded that future appointments to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) be made from among advocates practising in the capital, arguing that the bar has been repeatedly bypassed in favour of judges from other provinces.

Office-bearers of the Islamabad Bar Council and the Islamabad High Court Bar Association said the convention of elevating capital lawyers had been quietly abandoned, leaving a bench dominated by transferred judges with limited exposure to the IHC's case load.

They have written to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan urging that the next vacancies be filled from the capital's pool of senior advocates, warning of protests if the demand is ignored.