Justice Ayesha Malik on Monday took oath as a judge in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, becoming the first female judge in the country’s judicial history to reach the top court. By 2030, she will be in line to become the first woman Chief Justice of Pakistan. 

Pakistan Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed administered the oath to Justice  Malik on Monday at a ceremony held in capital Islamabad which was also attended by senior lawyers, attorney generals, and other senior apex court judges, reported Express Tribune.  Last week, Parliament Committee on Judge Appointment unanimously approved her appointment as the top court judge. 

Tweeting the picture of the ceremony, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary, said, “A powerful picture symbolizes women empowerment in Pakistan, I hope she will be an asset to our judicial hierarchy… Congratulations #JusticeAyeshaMalik a landmark elevation.”

Significantly, Justice Malik’s appointment to the top court wasn’t without controversy. She was fourth in seniority in the Lahore High Court and was given a promotion by sidelining normal standard practices. Initially, even her fellow lawyers had resisted her promotion. [Read more]

Known for her landmark judgment banning the two-finger and hymen tests on rape victims, Justice Malik, 55, is an LLM graduate from Harvard Law School. She had founded a law firm and practiced laws for years prior to her appointment to Lahore High Court in 2012. 

After the ceremony, Chief Justice Gulzar said that Justice Malik was competent enough to become a Supreme Court judge and that no one deserves any credit for her elevation, reported Dawn. However, when asked if her appointment was made on basis of her being a woman or her standing as a judge, Justice Gulzar replied, “woman”. 

Citing a senior official, a report in The Express Tribune reported that the practice (of bypassing senior judges inline) will not be repeated. 

(SAM)