ISLAMABAD – Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum is set to be elevated to the Supreme Court, making her the next woman judge to serve on the country’s apex court.
Justice Neelum’s appointment is expected to take effect next month after the retirement of Supreme Court Judge Justice Musarrat Hilali on August 8. Her elevation is likely to fill the vacancy created by Justice Hilali’s departure, ensuring continued female representation on the Supreme Court bench.
The move is being viewed as another significant milestone for Pakistan’s judiciary, with Justice Aalia Neelum expected to become one of the few women to serve on the apex court.
Her elevation is also expected to trigger a reshuffle within the Lahore High Court. Following her appointment, three senior judges, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, and Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, are likely to be considered for the position of Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court.
While official notification is still awaited, the reported decision signals another important transition in Pakistan’s superior judiciary, with attention now turning to the formal appointment process and the selection of the next Lahore High Court chief justice.
Who is Justice Aalia Neelum?
Justice Aalia has served as the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court since July 11, 2024, becoming the first woman in the court’s 142-year history to hold the office. Born in Rawalpindi on November 12, 1966, she studied law at the University of the Punjab and later earned additional qualifications in political science, education, Sharia law, and intellectual property rights.
She started her legal career in 1996 and practiced constitutional, civil, criminal, anti-terrorism, banking, and accountability law before being appointed as an additional judge of the Lahore High Court in 2013. She became a permanent judge in 2015 and has authored more than 200 reported judgments, particularly in criminal law.
Justice Aalia Neelum has also been credited with promoting judicial reforms, supporting the establishment of gender-based violence courts, modernizing e-court procedures, and becoming Punjab’s first woman administrative judge for anti-terrorism courts.
Her appointment as Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court in 2024 marked a historic breakthrough for women in Pakistan’s judiciary. If elevated to the Supreme Court, she will add another milestone to her distinguished judicial career and continue the growing representation of women at the country’s highest judicial level.
