The first woman Chief Justice (CJ) of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Aalia Neelum has taken the oath of office today. Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider administered the oath on the Justice Neelum who is now the 53rd Chief of the LHC.
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz, Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar and Inspector General of Punjab Police (IG) and other senior officials attended this ceremony at the Governor House.
Justice Neelum was born on November 12, 1966, earned her LLB degree from the Punjab University in 1995 and was enrolled as an advocate in 1996. She was later enrolled as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 2008 and elevated to the LHC in 2013. She was approved as the LHC’ first female chief on Wednesday.
President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari approved her appointment, as well as that of Justice Shafi Siddiqui as the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) chief under Article 175-A(13) of the Constitution. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa approved Justice Neelum’s elevation after considering the nominations of three judges for the position of LHC chief. The Commission approved her leaving Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.
The JCP 0recommended Justice Siddiqui’s elevation as the SHC chief justice after Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was elevated to the SC. Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan left the LHC’s chief office vacant after he was elevated to the SC on June 7. During the time Justice Shujaat Ali Khan served as the acting chief of LHC.
Justice Neelum stood third in the seniority list of judges of the LHC. It is important to note that Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar became the first woman to hold the position of chief justice of the Baluchistan High Court in 2018. She was elevated to this position following the retirement of Justice Mohammad Noor Muskanzai. Another landmark achievement in the judicial sector was when Justice Ayesha A. Malik became the first woman judge of the SC in 2021. It was reported in media that the JCP reached a consensus to elevate Justice Neelum despite the Pakistan Bar Council’s (PBC) opposition and advocacy for adhering to the principle of seniority. The Commission methodically assessed the credentials of all judges under consideration, but nearly all member judges of the JCP approved Justice Neelum. It is also important to note here that historically, the judges who are superseded normally opted to continue as judges.
This happened in the past for two times both in case of the Peshawar High Court and the Islamabad High Court. Justice Siddiqui was born on August 12, 1965, He was appointed as a judge of the SHC on March 20, 2012. He was enrolled as an advocate of the subordinate judiciary and the high court respectively in 1992 and 1994, and advocate of the SC in 2008. (By Rana Kashif)
