Lahore: Justice Aalia Neelum took the oath as the first female chief justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a ceremony, held at the Governor’s House, on Thursday. Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan administered the oath to Justice Aalia Neelum.
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza, Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, and other judges working at the LHC Principal Seat attended the ceremony.
LHC Registrar Chaudhry Abdul Rashid Abid, Director General District Judiciary Abher Gul Khan, Director General Judicial and Case Management Tanveer Akbar, Sessions Judge Human Resource Sajid Ali Awan, federal and provincial law officers, provincial secretaries, lawyers, and family members of the chief justice also graced the occasion. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman read out the notification of appointment of the chief justice.
Upon her arrival at the LHC, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum was given a warm welcome. LHC Registrar Chaudhry Abdul Rashid Abid welcomed her with a bouquet, and a police contingent presented the guard of honour.
Justice Aalia Neelum’s appointment as chief justice marks a significant milestone in the history of the LHC. She has been a pioneer for gender equality and women’s empowerment throughout her career. She was elevated as an additional judge of the LHC in 2013 and was confirmed as a permanent judge in 2015. During her tenure, she delivered over 203 reported judgments, addressing various legal issues.
Chief Justice Aalia Neelum also served as an inspection judge of various districts and monitored special courts and tribunals. She was the first female administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts in Punjab. She has represented the Pakistani judiciary in various international conferences held in different countries.
The appointment of Justice Aalia Neelum as the LHC chief justice is a significant step towards gender equality in the judiciary and a testament to Justice Aalia Neelum’s dedication and service to the legal profession.