Today, for the first time in Pakistan’s history, proceedings of the full bench in the Supreme Court were broadcast on PTV.
Most people were confused about who was who as they saw the 15 judges on screen for the first time.
If you’re not familiar with them, here is a short intro to each of the 15 judges.
1 Mr. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah
Formerly the 45th Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Mr Ali Shah has been serving as a justice at the Supreme Court since 2018. He was born in Peshawar and educated at Aitchison College, University of the Punjab and then Downing College, Cambridge.
2 Mr. Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi
Mr Hasan Azhar Rizvi has been serving as a judge at the Supreme Court of Pakistan since November 2022, prior to which he was a Justice of the Sindh High Court from Febuary 2010 to November 2022.
3 Mr. Justice Sardar Tariq Masood
Mr Justice Sardar Tariq Masood has been serving as a justice at the Supreme Court of Pakistan since November 2015. He began practicing law in the Rawalpindi district in 1985 and became an Advocate of the Supreme Court in 2008.
4 Mrs. Justice Ayesha A. Malik
At the age of 55, Mrs Ayesha Malik made history by becoming the first female Supreme Court judge, a victory that was celebrated by all women in Pakistan. In 2021, she outlawed the deeply misogynist virginity test which was used on survivors of rape and sexual abuse. She earned her Bachelors of Commerce from Government College of Commerce and Economics, then received her law degree from Pakistan College of Law, and her LL.M from Harvard Law School.
5 Mr. Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan
Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge in 2019. He began practicing in lower courts in 1985 after which he was issued a license. He was appointed as an Advocate of the Lahore High Court in 1987, and later of the Supreme Court in 2001.
6 Mr. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail was elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan as a Judge on August 2021. He completed his Matriculation from the Federal Government High School, Quetta Cantonment, and then his FSc. from Government Science College, Quetta. Mr Mandokhail completed his Masters in Political Science and Economics from the University of Balochistan, and later did his LLB from University Law College Quetta in 1987.
7 Mr. Justice Munib Akhtar
Justice Munib Akhtar took oath as a Supreme Court judge in 2018. He is the son-in-law of the former law minister Khalid Anwar.
8 Mr. Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan
Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2016. He had earlier been appointed the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court in 2015. He recieved his early education in Lahore and then graduated in 1979 from Forman Christian College with a merit scholarship.
9 Mr. Justice Athar Minallah
Justice Athar Minallah was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in November 2022. Prior to this, he served as the 5th Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court from 2018 till 2022.
10 Mr. Justice Shahid Waheed
Justice Shahid Waheed completed his graduation from Government College Lahore in 1986, after which he did his LL.B from the University Of Punjab in 1989. He was elevated as a judge of the Lahore High Court on March 2012, and appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2022.
11 Mr. Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi
Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in March 2020, and has been a practicing Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and at the High Courts since 2001 and 1988.
12 Mr. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in August 2021. Before his tenure in the apex court, he became a judge of the Sindh High Court in February 2010. Born in Karachi, he completed his graduation in Commerce and later passed his LL.B examination in 1990.
13 Mr Justice Qazi Faez Isa
Mr. Justice Qazi Faez Isa was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in September 2014, and was elevated to the position of Chief Justice on Sunday. He completed his early education from Karachi, then went on to earn a Bachelors in Law from London, where he completed his Bar Professional examination at the Inns of Court School of Law.
14 Mr. Justice Yahya Afridi
Justice Yahya Afridi was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court in June 2018, and was previously appointed as the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court in December 2016.
15 Ms. Justice Mussarat Hilali
Justice Mussarat Hilali became the first woman Chief Justice to be appointed at the Peshawar High Court in March 2023, and later became the second female judge to be appointed at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
