Breaking Barriers: Justice Aalia Neelum Takes Oath as Lahore High Court’s First Female Chief Justice
— July 11, 2024
LAHORE (AIA) Justice Aalia Neelum made history on Thursday as she was sworn in as the first woman chief justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a ceremony at the Governor House.
Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan administered the oath to Justice Neelum. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, judges of the high court, and other top officials attended the ceremony.
Chief Justice Neelum’s appointment marks a significant milestone in the court’s history and a testament to her exceptional qualifications and dedication to the law profession. She is a distinguished jurist with a remarkable career spanning over two decades.
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) unanimously approved her appointment in a meeting chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. The council also considered the names of Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and Justice Baqar Najafi for the post.
Justice Neelum replaced Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, who was elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Third on the seniority list of the high court, Justice Neelum was born in 1966. She earned her degree from the Punjab University Law College in 1995 and holds several other diplomas in law.
She began her career in 1996 as a registered lawyer and was admitted to the high court in 1998 and the Supreme Court in 2008. She practiced in various fields, including constitutional, civil, criminal, and anti-terrorism law.
In 2013, she was appointed as an ad hoc judge of the LHC and became a permanent judge in 2015. She also established standard operating procedures (SOPs) for recording evidence via video link.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the first woman chief minister of any province in Pakistan’s history, greeted Justice Neelum on her appointment.
This appointment is a significant step towards gender equality and women’s empowerment in Pakistan’s judiciary, following the footsteps of trailblazers like Justice Ayesha Malik, the first woman Supreme Court judge, and Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar, the first woman chief justice of the Balochistan High Court.