Bhatti started his legal practice as a civil judge in 1960 and was later appointed as
district and session Judge in 1972. He became chairperson of Services Tribunal in 1982 and deputy secretary, Law Department secretary for provisional Assembly of the North-West Frontier Province for three years.
He was elevated as Peshawar High Court judge in 1983 and the Federal Shariat Court judge on 28 October 1991 until he was appointed as chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court on 19 July 1994.[2]