Justice Yahya Afridi took the oath as Pakistan’s 30th Chief Justice on Saturday. The ceremony was held at the President’s House in Islamabad, with President Asif Ali Zardari administering the oath. Senior Supreme Court judges, parliament members, and government officials attended.
Justice Afridi, third in Supreme Court seniority, was nominated after a newly formed parliamentary committee of government and opposition members selected him by a two-thirds majority. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar announced the decision during an in-camera session at Parliament House, where eight of nine members supported Afridi’s nomination. JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza cast the only vote for Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. PTI members boycotted the meeting to protest recent constitutional amendments that led to the committee’s formation.
A full court reference was held on Friday to honor outgoing CJP Qazi Faez Isa.
