Tahira Safdar becomes first female chief justice of Balochistan High Court

ISLAMABAD - Justice Tahira Safdar has been nominated as the first ever woman chief justice of a Pakistani high court.

Justice Tahira will take charge of her new role following the retirement of incumbent Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Mohammad Noor Muskanzai as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday announced her nomination.

Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Mohammad Noor Muskanzai reaches superannuation on August 31, reported Dawn News.

Justice Tahira Safdar will work as the chief justice of the BHC till October 5 next year.

Justice Tahira Safdar, born on Oct 5, 1957, in Quetta, is the daughter of renowned lawyer Syed Imtiaz Hussain Baqri Hanafi.

She is currently a member of the three-judge special court conducting the trial of former president Pervez Musharraf for committing treason by proclaiming a state of emergency on Nov 3, 2007.

She made history in 1982 when she became the first woman civil judge in Balochistan.

She received her basic education from the Cantonment Public School, Quetta, and went on to complete her bachelor's degree from the Government Girls College, Quetta.

Justice Safdar later earned a master's degree in Urdu literature from the University of Balochistan, as well as a degree in law from the University Law College, Quetta, in 1980.

After attaining success in a competitive examination held by the Balochistan Public Service Commission, she was appointed as a senior civil judge on June 29, 1987. She was made additional district and sessions judge on Feb 27, 1991.

On March 1, 1996, she was promoted to district and sessions judge. She also worked as a presiding officer in the Labour Court.

She was appointed a member of the Balochistan Services Tribunal on Oct 22, 1998, and worked in that capacity till she was appointed chairperson of the Balochistan Services Tribunal on July 10, 2009.

While working as chairperson, Justice Tahira Safdar was elevated to the position of additional judge of the high court on Sept 7, 2009, and confirmed as a BHC judge on May 11, 2011.