LAHORE: In the 142-year history of the Lahore High Court, judge Aalia Neelum broke through the glass ceiling by becoming the first female chief judge.
At the Governor House, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was present when Punjab Governor Saleem Haider Khan gave the new chief justice his oath.
The elevation of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa was unanimously approved by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, which also took into account the nominations of Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi for the LHC chief justice post.
On Wednesday, President Asif Ali Zardari formally announced Justice Neelum’s selection as the high court’s top justice, following the commission’s approval.
She will take office as the Lahore High Court’s 47th chief justice since 1920 and its 54th overall since the court’s founding on March 21, 1882, when it was known as the Chief Court of Lahore.
Along with Justice Neelum’s appointment, the president had also announced the chief justice of the Sindh High Court (SHC).
Following the elevation of three high court judges to the Supreme Court last month, including the former chief justices of the SHC and LHC, Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, respectively, the top positions became vacant.
Justice Neelum served on the high court panel that ordered former prime minister Imran Khan to participate in the 121 cases that had been filed against him in May 2023.
