Justice Aalia Neelum has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, marking a historic moment as the first woman to hold this esteemed position. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan unanimously endorsed her nomination during a session chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa.
Justice Aalia ranks third in seniority among LHC judges following the elevation of former Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan to the Supreme Court. Following Justice Shahzad’s promotion, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan assumed the role of Acting Chief Justice as per Article 196, appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari.
Simultaneously, Justice Shafi Muhammad Siddiqui was also nominated as the top judge for the Sindh High Court, filling the vacancy left by former SHC CJ Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi’s elevation to the Supreme Court alongside Justices Shahzad and Shahid earlier this month.
Justice Aalia Neelum, born on November 12, 1966, earned her LL.B. degree from the University of the Punjab in 1995 and was enrolled as an advocate the following year. With extensive experience in both the legal profession and judiciary, she has delivered several notable judgments on critical legal matters since joining the LHC bench in 2013. Her academic background includes a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Punjab, complemented by various diplomas in law and judiciary, and she holds a B.Ed. degree from her alma mater. Justice Aalia has also been actively involved in gender-based violence courts and has handled cases spanning criminal, civil, and anti-terrorism laws.
