Justice Mansoor Ali Shah takes oath as acting CJP
Supreme Court Senior Puisne Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah on Monday took oath as the acting Chief Justice of Pakistan in the absence of top judge Justice Yahya Afridi, according to a press release issued by the apex court.
CJP Afridi is heading a delegation to the 20th Conference of Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of SCO member states in Hangzhou, China, scheduled to be held from April 22 to 26.
He is accompanied by Justices Aminuddin Khan and Shahid Waheed and two district judges from the remote areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Zafar Jan, district and sessions judge, Gwadar, and Nadia Gul Wazir, senior civil judge of Lakki Marwat district.
“Honourable Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah has taken oath as Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan.
“The oath was administered by Honourable Justice Munib Akhtar in a simple and dignified ceremony in the Supreme Court in Islamabad today,” the press release said.
The statement added Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah will act as the top judge during the period CJP Justice Afridi remains abroad.
The ceremony was attended by Judges of the SC, attorney general for Pakistan, senior lawyers and officers of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, the SC said.
The SC additional registrar, Syed Zakria Ali Shah, conducted the proceedings of the oath-taking ceremony. Officers and staff of the SC were also present on the occasion.
Justice Afridi was sworn in as the 30th CJP on October 26, 2024 during an oath-taking ceremony at the President House in Islamabad.
Following the passage of the 26th Amendment, Justice Afridi was “appointed on the recommendation of the Special Parliamentary Committee (SPC) from amongst the three most senior” SC judges.
Previously, the president used to appoint the “most senior judge of the Supreme Court” as the CJP, according to which senior puisne judge Mansoor Ali Shah was earlier set to assume the position.
Justice Afridi was the third judge on the SC seniority list (excluding the CJP at the time), with Justice Munib Akhtar being the second most senior judge among those considered by the SPC.