ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), on Tuesday, unanimously, recommended Justice Aalia Neelum’s name for the position of chief justice of Lahore High Court (LHC), said the sources.
She will be the first-ever woman top judge of the LHC after approval by the Parliamentary Committee on Judges’ Appointment.
The sources said that the Commission has also unanimously proposed Justice Shafi Muhammad Siddiqui’s name for the post of Sindh High Court (SHC) top judge. The slot was vacated after the elevation of SHC CJ Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi as judge of the Supreme Court with Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan.
A meeting of the Judicial Commission was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Justice Neelum is third in the seniority list of the LHC after the elevation of former LHC CJ Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan to the Supreme Court. She was born on 12 November 1966. He obtained his LLB degree from Punjab University in 1995. She was enrolled as an advocate on 1st February 1996. Justice Aalia Neelum will serve until November 11, 2028.
After Justice Shahzad’s elevation, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan was appointed as the acting CJ of the LHC by President Asif Ali Zardari under Article 196. Justice Shujaat Ali Khan will retire on April 26, 2026, while Justice Najafi is retiring on September 14, 2025.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024