Justice Yahya Afridi takes oath as Chief Justice of Pakistan

Justice Yahya Afridi has taken the oath as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (President's house), where President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to Justice Yahya Afridi as Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The ceremony at the Presidential Palace was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the heads of the three armed forces, the Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, senior judiciary judges, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Punjab Governor Saleem Haider, federal ministers, and other prominent personalities.

Additionally, Supreme Court Justices Ayesha Malik and Athar Minallah were also present at the oath-taking ceremony.

It is noteworthy that after the approval of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, a special committee of Parliament nominated Justice Yahya Afridi for the position of Chief Justice.

Chief Justice Faez Isa bids farewell
During his farewell speech, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa expressed heartfelt gratitude to his colleagues, supporters, and attendees, reflecting on his career and personal journey.

He acknowledged former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s role in appointing him as the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court during challenging times and emphasized the unique responsibility of judges to uphold truth and justice.
Justice Isa recounted his education in Balochistan and Karachi, praising his family's dedication to learning.

He credited his wife for her unwavering support and contributions to public service, noting her assistance in various community projects.

Touching on environmental conservation, he shared a conversation with his granddaughter on the importance of protecting Islamabad’s Margalla Hills for future generations.

Journey to CJP appointment

Justice Yahya Afridi was nominated by a special parliamentary committee as the incoming Chief Justice of Pakistan from among the three most senior Supreme Court judges, under the newly adopted 26th Constitutional Amendment.

Following this nomination, a summary was sent by the prime minister to the president, who approved Justice Afridi’s appointment as the 30th CJP.

Born on January 23, 1965, in Dera Ismail Khan, Justice Afridi began his legal career as an advocate of the High Court in 1990 and later as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 2004.

He has also held roles as Assistant Advocate General for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and as a Federal Counsel for the Government of Pakistan.

Justice Afridi was appointed to the Bench of the Peshawar High Court as an Additional Judge in 2010 and was confirmed as a Judge on March 15, 2012. He made history as the first judge from the Federally Administered Tribal Area to become Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, assuming this role on December 30, 2016, until his elevation to the Supreme Court on June 28, 2018.

Supreme Court Website Updated

Following the swearing-in of the new Chief Justice, the Supreme Court's website has been updated. Justice Yahya Afridi’s name has replaced Qazi Faez Isa as Chief Justice of Pakistan on the website.

Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq extended his congratulations to Justice Yahya Afridi on assuming the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

In his message, he expressed best wishes for Justice Afridi and stated that becoming the Chief Justice of Pakistan is a great honour and privilege. He remarked that no society can survive without justice and that a strengthened justice system will, in turn, strengthen democracy and drive the country's progress.

Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah has also congratulated Justice Yahya Afridi on assuming the role of Chief Justice of Pakistan.