In a first, Justice Aalia Neelum nominated as LHC chief justice

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has unanimously nominated Justice Aalia Neelum as the first-ever woman chief justice of Lahore High Court (LHC), ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The commission, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, unanimously approved Justice Neelum’s name for the coveted position.

She was third in the seniority list of the Lahore High Court after the elevation of former LHC CJ Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan to the Supreme Court.

After Justice Shahzad’s elevation, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan was appointed as the acting chief justice for the LHC by President Asif Ali Zardari under Article 196.

Justice Aalia Neelum, a renowned jurist, started her practice as a lawyer in 1996 and was elevated as a judge of the Lahore High Court in 2013. She has a distinguished career spanning over two decades and has been known for her judicious approach and legal acumen.

The commission also considered the names of Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi for the position, but ultimately decided in favor of Justice Neelum. The nomination has been sent to the parliamentary committee for final approval.

Meanwhile, Justice Shafi Muhammad Siddiqui was also nominated for post of Sindh High Court (SHC) top judge.

It is pertinent to mention here that LHC Justice Ayesha A. Malik was notified as a judge of the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Friday, officially becoming Pakistan’s first-ever woman judge to be green lighted to sit on the apex court.