Justice Yahya Afridi took oath on Saturday as Pakistan’s 30th chief justice in a ceremony held at President’s House in Islamabad.

President Asif Ali Zardari administered oath to the new chief justice, who has succeeded Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Justice Isa stepped down as CJP on October 25.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir along with other judges of the Supreme Court were also in attendance.

Justice Afridi’s nomination as the next CJP was approved by President Zardari on October 23 in accordance with Articles 175A(3), 177, and 179 of the Constitution.

President Zardari approved his appointment after Special Parliamentary Committee, comprising government and opposition members, nominated Justice Afridi for the post of CJP following the passage of the 26th Amendment.

The new CJP will serve the post for a fixed three-year term.

Justice Afridi

Justice Afridi received his early education at Aitchison College, Lahore, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Government College Lahore.

He obtained his Master of Arts degree in Economics from Punjab University, Lahore.

Justice Afridi became a Judge of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in 2010 and joined as a judge of SC in 2018.

Justice Afridi became the first judge from the Federally Administered Tribal Area to assume the office of the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court when he took oath on 30th December 2016.

He served until his elevation as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 28th June 2018.