Justice Ayesha Malik sworn in as first female judge of SC

ISLAMABAD: In a landmark occasion, Justice Ayesha Malik, judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC), Monday took oath as the first female judge of the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed administered the oath of office to Ayesha Malik as judge of the apex court at a ceremony held at the SC building, while Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who has been nominated as the next top judge of Pakistan, and other SC judges, also attended the ceremony. Judges of the Supreme Court, Attorney General for Pakistan, senior lawyers, law officers and officers of Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan attended the ceremony.

Justice Malik has made history in Pakistan’s judicial system after being sworn in as the first female judge of the Supreme Court.

On the occassion, CJP Ahmed said that no one can take the credit for Justice Ayesha’s appointment as an SC judge. “Justice Ayesha has been appointed on the basis of her merit,” the CJP said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, meanwhile, congratulated Justice Ayesha Malik on becoming the first woman SC judge. In a tweet, the premier said, “I want to congratulate Justice Ayesha Malik on becoming the first woman judge of the Supreme Court. I wish her all the best”.

Malik was educated at Harvard University and served as a high court judge in Lahore for the past two decades.She has been credited with rolling back patriarchal legal mores in her Punjab province jurisdiction. Last year she outlawed a deeply invasive and medically discredited examination used to determine a woman´s level of sexual experience.

The bar councils and associations had opposed her elevation to the Supreme Court for ignoring the principle of seniority. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan had earlier this month approved Justice Malik for elevation by a majority of five to four during a heated session that had lasted nearly three-and-a-half hours.