Historic as Justice Aalia Neelum sworn in as LHC's first woman chief justice

LAHORE – Justice Aalia Neelum has created history as she sworn in as the Lahore High Court’s first woman chief justice on Thursday.

Punjab Governor Saleem Haider Khan administered the oath to the new chief justice at the Governor House. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and several other officials attended the ceremony.

Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) had unanimously nominated Justice Aalia Neelum as new Lahore High Court Chief Justice.

Justice Neelum will serve as the LHC Chief Justice until November 2028. she is known for her expertise in criminal law, and is known for several key verdicts.

Justice Aalia Neelum

She remained at several positions during her service in the judiciary. Justice Neelum was born in 1966. After her early education, she completed her LLB from Punjab University in 1995. She started practicing on Feb 1 1996 and remained part of several high profile cases.

Earlier, Members of the legal community urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to uphold the seniority principle in judicial appointments.

Several members of the Punjab Bar Council (PBC) expressed concerns about elevating a junior judge, Justice Aalia Neelum, as the next Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

They noted that this could erode public trust in the judiciary and lead to biased decision-making and political interference. Bar members stressed the need for a fair and transparent appointment process, reminding Justice Isa of his previous support for the seniority principle to maintain judicial integrity.