There is a Supreme Court in Pakistan and a High Court in each province, and other smaller courts exercising civil and criminal jurisdiction. The Supreme Court and High Courts have been established under the Constitution and other Courts have been established through the Acts of Parliament or Acts of Provincial Assemblies. The Chief Justice heads the Supreme Court. The President appoints the Chief Justice and the judges. At present, besides the Chief Justice, there are thirteen other Judges in the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court hold office until the age of sixty-five.
The Supreme Court, to the exclusion of every other Court in Pakistan, has the jurisdiction to pronounce declaratory judgments in any dispute between the Federal Government and a provincial government or between any two or more provincial governments. If, at any time, the President considers that it is desirable to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court on any question of law which he considers of public importance, he may refer the question to the Supreme Court for consideration.
There is a High Court in each of the four provinces. A Judge of the High Court is appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the Governor of the Province and the Chief Justice of the High Court in which appointment is to be made. A High Court has the power to make rules regulating its practice and procedure as well as the workings of courts subordinate to it. Each High Court supervises and controls all courts subordinate to it and any decision of a High Court binds all courts subordinate to it.