PESHAWAR: Justice Ayesha Malik on Monday took the oath of Supreme Court of Pakistan judge earning the title of Pakistan’s first female judge of the top court.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed administered the oath of office to Justice Ayesha Malik at Supreme Court where other senior judges of the top court were also present.
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The Parliamentary Committee had earlier approved her appointment as the Supreme Court judge, but, the Pakistan Bar Council had announced strike on January 6 after the supreme judicial council approved her elevation to the top court, saying that her appointment “violates the seniority rule”.
However, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed said that Justice Ayesha has been elevated to the top court “on merit”. Chief Justice Gulzar said, “Justice Ayesha Malik has been elevated to supreme court on the basis of merit. We will not take credit for anything.” Attorney General of Pakistan, Khalid Javed Khan said that it is an ‘important’ day in the history of Pakistan. He said, “For the first time, women of Pakistan would be represented in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”
Thus, the Supreme Judicial Council on January 6 recommended the elevation of Justice Ayesha Malik to the top court. Following the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee also approved it in the “national interest”. Federal Minister for Law Farogh Naseem while talking to reporters had said that the Judicial Commission has taken a “historic” decision by elevating a female to the top court for the first time in Pakistan’s history.
The parliamentary committee meeting was chaired by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Farooq H Naik. Naik had said that the approval was granted by consensus but he said that it does not meant that they are going to abolish the seniority rules. Naik said that though her appointment violates seniority rule but the approval has been granted in the “national interest”.
Justice Ayesha was appointed as Judge of the Lahore High Court on March 27, 2012. She will serve as the Supreme Court of Pakistan judge till her retirement at the age of 65 in 2031.