ISLAMABAD – Justice Yahya Afridi was sworn in as the 30th Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) on Saturday, October 26, succeeding outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Presidency, where President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to the new chief justice.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Services Chiefs, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, various lawmakers, and others attended the ceremony.
Earlier this week, President Asif Ali Zardari approved Justice Yahya Afridi’s appointment as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).
Justice Yahya Afridi will serve a term of three years, starting from October 26.
The appointment was made by the president under the recently amended Articles 175A (3), 177, and 179 of the Constitution.
Prime Minister Shehbaz sent the summary for his appointment to the president after Justice Yahya Afridi’s name was proposed by the parliamentary committee.
On Tuesday night, a Special Parliamentary Committee nominated Justice Yahya Afridi as the next Chief Justice following a meeting attended by both government and some opposition members.
This much-anticipated appointment raised eyebrows, as Justice Afridi is considered the junior-most among the three candidates. According to seniority, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah was the most senior jurist, while Muneeb Akhtar held the position of the second senior judge.
Members of the opposition, specifically the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), opted to boycott the session. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed disappointment over their absence but confirmed that the committee has the necessary two-thirds majority to move forward.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the respectability of all three judges under consideration. The recent 26th Constitutional Amendment has altered the appointment process, now requiring recommendations from a Special Parliamentary Committee rather than a direct presidential appointment.
