Pakistan
History made: Justice Ayesha Malik takes oath as first female judge of Supreme Court
ISLAMABAD: History was made on Monday in Pakistan’s judicial system as Justice Ayesha Malik was sworn in as the first female judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed administered the oath to Justice Malik at the SC building, while Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who has been nominated as the next top judge of Pakistan, and other SC judges, also attended the ceremony.
On the occasion, CJP Ahmed said that no one can take the credit for Justice Ayesha’s appointment as an SC judge.
“Justice Ayesha has been appointed on the basis of her merit,” the CJP said.
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) had approved the nomination of Justice Ayesha Malik for her appointment as an SC judge with a vote of five to four, on Thursday.
Justice Ayesha had been officially elevated to the rank of a judge of the apex court on Friday.
The final approval regarding the appointment of Justice Ayesha Malik had been sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Judges, after which the JCP finally approved the nomination of Justice Ayesha Malik for her appointment as an SC judge with a vote of five to four, on Thursday.
The elevation of Justice Ayesha as an SC judge did not prove to be a cakewalk as lawyers from across the country had opposed her promotion making seniority a basis, as she is ranked fourth in the Lahore High Court in terms of seniority.
The Pakistan Bar Council had declared a strike against the appointment of Justice Ayesha Malik.
Out of the 17 judges appointed in the Supreme Court, Justice Ayesha Malik has been nominated for the seat which became vacant after the retirement of Justice Mushir Alam on August 17.
The CJP and Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court had suggested the name of Justice Ayesha Malik, to which Justice Ayesha also agreed in writing.
With Justice Ayesha taking the office as an SC judge, the apex court has attained the strength of 17 judges of whom eight belong to Punjab alone.
Besides Justice Ayesha, other judges from Punjab include Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Syed Mazahir Ali Naqvi.
Interestingly, the four judges from Lahore who will now have the opportunity to become the CJP in future are Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayesha A. Malik.
Historic moment
The appointment of the first women judge to the Supreme Court has been praised widely.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry shared a picture of Justice Ayesha taking the oath to congratulate her.
The minister expressed hope that the newly appointed judge will prove to be “an asset to our judicial hierarchy”.
A powerful picture symbolises the women empowerment in Pakistan, I hope she will be an asset to our Judicial hierarchy… Congratulations #JusticeAyeshaMalik a land mark elevation pic.twitter.com/BZplrXquOK
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 24, 2022
Taking to Twitter, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz said that history has been made in Pakistan’s judiciary.
پاکستان کی عدلیہ میں نئی تاریخ رقم
— Maryam Nawaz (@maryamnawazkhan) January 24, 2022
جسٹس عائشہ ملک سپریم کورٹ کی پہلی خاتون جج بن گئیں
سپریم کورٹ کی پہلی خاتون جج عائشہ ملک نے اپنے عہدے کا حلف اٹھا لیا#justiceayeshamalik pic.twitter.com/jit4odEVh5
Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari also took to Twitter to acknowledge Justice Ayesha’s appointment.
Historic moment — first woman judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/vVlZGlOm2X
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) January 24, 2022