Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, on Monday took oath as the Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan in the absence of Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, who is currently on an official visit to China.
According to a press release issued by the Supreme Court, the oath was administered by Justice Munib Akhtar in a simple and dignified ceremony held at the apex court in Islamabad.
Justice Afridi is leading a delegation to the 20th Conference of Chief Justices of Supreme Courts of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China from April 22 to 26. Accompanying him are Justices Aminuddin Khan and Shahid Waheed, as well as two judicial officers from remote districts — Zafar Jan, District and Sessions Judge of Gwadar, and Nadia Gul Wazir, Senior Civil Judge of Lakki Marwat.
The oath-taking ceremony of the Acting Chief Justice was attended by Supreme Court judges, the Attorney General for Pakistan, senior lawyers, officers of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, and other officials. The proceedings were conducted by SC Additional Registrar Syed Zakria Ali Shah.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah will serve as the Acting Chief Justice for the duration of Justice Afridi’s official visit.
Justice Afridi was sworn in as the 30th Chief Justice of Pakistan on October 26, 2024, following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. Under the new appointment procedure, the Chief Justice is selected by the President on the recommendation of a Special Parliamentary Committee (SPC) from among the top three most senior judges of the Supreme Court.
Prior to the amendment, the senior-most judge would automatically be appointed as the CJP, under which Justice Mansoor Ali Shah would have assumed the position. Justice Afridi was third in seniority at the time, after Justice Munib Akhtar.
