Justice Ayesha Malik to become first Woman Chief Justice of Pakistan

Justice Ayesha Malik is set to become the first woman Chief Justice of Pakistan after outgoing CJP Mushir Alam recommended her for the elevation in Pakistan's Top Court. Justice Alam is set to retire on Aug 17 and a judicial committee is considering Malik as a judge for the top court. She is currently at the Lahore HC and ranks four on the seniority list.

Malik began her legal career by assisting Fakhurddin G Ebrahim at his legal firm in Karachi from 1997 till 2001. Malik studied law at the Pakistan College of Law in Lahore. After this, she got a master's degree from the prestigious Harvard Law School in London. In March 2012, Malik became a justice in the High Court of Lahore.

She completed her basic education from schools in Paris and New York and did her A-Levels from London's Francis Holland School for Girls.

In 2019, Malik became the president of the Committee for Protection of Women Judges in Lahore. The panel was formed in the same year against hooliganism by lawyers in district courts” toward female judges.

She is also a part of The International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), an initiative of women empowerment through equality and justice for women.

Landmark ruling on virginity tests

In Jan, Malik delivered a landmark ruling in which she declared two-finger and hymen tests on sexual assault survivors “illegal and against the Constitution of Pakistan."

A single bench led by Malik announced the verdict in a set of petitions, filed in March and June 2020 by rights activists along with a PML-N lawmaker.

Source Link