Pakistan's Lahore High Court Gets Its First Female Chief Justice. All About Aalia Neelum Who Created History

Notably, while Justice Neelum is the first-ever woman chief justice of LHC, she is the second-ever female to hold the post in any province of Pakistan.

Justice Neelum earned her LLB degree from the University of Punjab in 1995 (Image: X)

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Justice Aalia Neelum created history by becoming the first woman to rise to the position of chief justice of Pakistan's Lahore High Court (LHC) after President Asif Ali Zardari approved her appointment on Wednesday. 

Confirming her appointment, the Law Ministry of Pakistan issued a notification stating, "In exercise of the powers conferred under Article 193 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to appoint Justice Miss Aalia Neelum Judge, Lahore High Court, Lahore as Chief Justice of the said Court with effect from the date she makes oath of her office," according to The News International.

The elevation of Justice Neelum, who stood third in the seniority list of judges of the LHC, was approved last week by Pakistan's Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) -- headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa -- after considering the nominations of three judges for the position, according to a report by Dawn. 

صدر آصف علی زرداری نے قائمقام چیف جسٹس سندھ ہائیکورٹ، محمد شفیع صدیقی، کی بطور چیف جسٹس سندھ ہائی کورٹ جبکہ لاہور ہائی کورٹ کی جج جسٹس عالیہ نیلم کی بطور چیف جسٹس لاہور ہائی کورٹ تعیناتی کی منظوری دے دی۔

صدر مملکت نے تعیناتیوں کی منظوری آئین کے آرٹیکل 175 اے (13) کے تحت دی۔

— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) July 10, 2024

Notably, while Justice Neelum is the first-ever woman chief justice of LHC, she is the second-ever female to hold the post in any province of Pakistan. Before her, Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar achieved the milestone after she was appointed the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court in 2018.

This was followed by another historic achievement when Justice Ayesha A Malik became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2021.

About Justice Aalia Neelum

Born on November 12, 1966, Justice Neelum earned her LLB degree from the University of Punjab in 1995 and was enrolled as an advocate in 1996. She was later enrolled as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 2008. A renowned jurist, Neelum was elevated as a judge of the Lahore High Court in 2013. In her distinguished career spanning over two decades, she has been known for her judicious approach and legal acumen.