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ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS):Justice Ayesha Malik took oath as the first female judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday.
Her swearing-in ceremony was held at the apex court earlier today and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed administered the oath.
A large number of SC’s judges, attorney generals and lawyers attended the ceremony.
Replying to a reporter’s query following the ceremony, CJP Gulzar said that he will not take credit for Justice Ayesha’s elevation as the apex court judge.
“She deserved to become a judge of the Supreme Court and that’s why she became one,” he added.
The top judge was also asked whether he considered Ayesha’s appointment on the basis of a judge or a woman, to which he replied “woman”.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to his official Twitter handle to congratulate Justice Ayesha on “a landmark elevation.”
“A powerful picture symbolises the women empowerment in Pakistan,” said Fawad alongside the picture of today’s oath-taking ceremony, adding that he hopes Justice Ayesha will be an asset to the country’s “judicial hierarchy”.
On January 21, the law ministry issued a notification according to which the appointment of the Lahore High Court (LHC) judge had been approved by President Arif Alvi.
The notification read: “In [the] exercise of powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 177 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the president is pleased to appoint Mrs Ayesha A Malik, a judge of the Lahore High Court, […] as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan with effect from the date she takes [the] oath of her office.”
On January 19, the parliamentary committee on Judges Appointment had unanimously approved the nomination of Justice Ayesha Malik as a top court judge.
A member of the committee had told The Express Tribune that the decision was made in light of Justice Ayesha’s gender.
However, the official had insisted that the seniority principle will be adhered to in the future.
Justice Ayesha, who ranks number four on the LHC judges’ seniority list, became a judge in March 2012.
She will now work as a Supreme Court judge until June 2031. She could also become the CJP after the retirement of Justice Yahya Afridi in January 2030.