The chief justice of Pakistan (initials as CJP; , Munsif-e-Āzam Pākistān) is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and is the highest-ranking officer of the Pakistani judiciary.
The Federal Court of Pakistan was established by Governor-General Jinnah's Order in February 1948. Until 1956, the chief justice and senior justices were known by the title of 'Federal Judge', and the Federal Court of Pakistan operated out of a wing of the Lahore High Court, despite the federal capital's location in Karachi. The enactment of Pakistan's first constitution in March 1956 redesigned it as the 'Supreme Court of Pakistan.'
The chief justice is the chief administrative officer of the country's court system and the highest judicial officer, ranking immediately above the chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court. He is responsible for supervising federal judicial policies, and conducting judicial business in the Supreme Court.Article 176 in The Judicature Chapter 2 of Part VII of the Constitution of PakistanArticle 175A in Chapter 1: The Courts. Part VII: The Judicature of the Constitution of Pakistan
Nomination for the appointment of the chief justice is made by the prime minister of Pakistan, and final appointments are confirmed by the president of Pakistan.Article 175A(12)-175A(13) Chapter 1: The Courts. Part VII: The Judicature of the Constitution of Pakistan Chief Justice of Pakistan is recommended by Special Parliamentary Committee consisting of 8 members of National Assembly and 4 members of Senate.He is selected by amongst 3 senior most justices of Supreme Court by two third majiority of total membership of Committee. Committee sends nomination of selected justice to Prime Minister and Prime Minister advises President of Pakistan to appoint that justice as Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Before 26th Amendment to the Constitution 2024. Senior most judge of Supreme Court was appointed as Chief Justice by President on advice of Prime Minister.
Presiding over the oral arguments before the court, the chief justice has significant agenda-setting power over meetings of the Supreme Court. In modern tradition, the chief justice has the ceremonial duty of administering the oath of office of the president of Pakistan.Article 178 in the Chapter 2: The Supreme Court of Pakistan of Part VII: The Judicature of Constitution of Pakistan
The first chief justice was Sir Abdul Rashid. The current chief justice is Yahya Afridi, incumbent since 26 October 2024.
List of chief justices
#Name Period of office Length of term (years, days) Bar Appointed by 1Sir Mian Abdul Rashid Lahore High Court Government of India Act 19352Muhammad Munir Lahore High Court Malik Ghulam Muhammad 3 Muhammad Shahabuddin Madras High Court Ayub Khan4A.R. Cornelius Lahore High Court5S.A. Rahman Lahore High Court 6 Fazal Akbar East Pakistan High Court 7 Hamoodur Rahman Calcutta High Court 8 Yaqub Ali Lahore High Court Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry 9 Sheikh Anwarul Haq Lahore High Court 10 Mohammad Haleem Sindh High Court Zia-ul-Haq 11 Afzal Zullah Lahore High Court Ghulam Ishaq Khan 12 Nasim Hasan Shah Lahore High Court 13 Syed Sajjad Ali Shah Sindh High Court Farooq Leghari 14 Ajmal Mian Sindh High Court Wasim Sajjad 15 Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui Sindh High Court Rafiq Tarar 16 Irshad Hasan Khan Lahore High Court 17 Bashir Jehangiri Peshawar High Court Pervez Musharraf 18 Sheikh Riaz Ahmad Lahore High Court 19 Nazim Hussain Siddiqui Sindh High Court 20 Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (1st) Balochistan High Court 21 Javaid Iqbal Balochistan High Court 22 Rana Bhagwandas Sindh High Court 23 Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (2nd) Balochistan High Court 24 A. H. Dogar Sindh High Court 25 Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (3rd) Balochistan High Court Asif Ali Zardari 26 Tassaduq Hussain Jillani Lahore High Court Mamnoon Hussain 27 Nasir-ul-Mulk Peshawar High Court 28 Jawwad S. Khawaja Lahore High Court 29 Anwar Zaheer Jamali Sindh High Court 30 Mian Saqib Nisar Lahore High Court 31 Asif Saeed Khan Khosa Lahore High Court Arif Alvi 32 Gulzar Ahmed Sindh High Court 33 Umar Ata Bandial Lahore High Court 34 Qazi Faez Isa Balochistan High Court 35 Yahya Afridi Incumbent Peshawar High Court Asif Ali Zardari
A Acting ± Recess appointment, later rejected by the Supreme Judicial Council. All decisions voided due to illegality of appointment. † Died in office
Timeline
See also Supreme Court of Pakistan Pakistan Bar Council Punjab Bar Council Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Constitution of Pakistan
References
External links Official Website of Supreme Court of Pakistan