Justice Tahira Safdar to become first female chief justice of a high court in Pakistan

QUETTA: Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar has been nominated as the first ever woman chief justice of a high court.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar nominated Justice Safdar as the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) while addressing the launching ceremony of Justice retired Fakhrun Nisa’s book in Lahore.

Justice Safdar will assume her new responsibilities after the retirement of incumbent BHC Chief Justice Mohammad Noor Muskanzai who is set to call it a day on August 31.

She became the first lady to be appointed as a civil judge in Balochistan, and has also privilege of being the first lady to be appointed to all the posts she has previously held, according to her biography posted on Balochistan High Court website.

Justice Safdar was born to a renowned lawyer’s family on October 5, 1957, in Quetta. She received her basic education from the Cantonment Public School and went to complete her Bachelors’ degree from the Government Girls College.

She did her Masters in Urdu Literature from the University of Balochistan, and completed her degree in Law from the University Law College, Quetta, in 1980.

Justice Safdar emerged successful in a competitive examination held by Balochistan Public Service Commission, and so started her career as a civil judge on the April 22, 1982.

She was promoted as senior civil judge on June 29, 1987, and as additional district and sessions judge on February, 27 1991.

On March 1, 1996, she was promoted as district and sessions judge before being elevated to High Court of Balochistan as additional judge on the September 7, 2009 and was confirmed on May 11, 2011.

Justice Tahira Safdar was one of the three judges of the Special Court constituted under Section 4 Criminal Law Amendment (Special Court) Act 1976 for trial of the offence of high treason against ex-president General Parvaiz Musharaf vide Notification dated 20^th November 2013.