'History in Making': Pakistan Appoints its First Woman Supreme Court Judge

Justice Ayesha Malik is a Harvard graduate and served as a High Court judge for about 20 years in Lahore.

(Photo: PTI)

In a landmark move, Pakistan swore in Ayesha Malik as the country’s first female Supreme Court judge on Monday, 24 January, marking a first for the country's apex court, as per an AFP report.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated Justice Malik on Twitter and said, "I congratulate Justice Ayesha Malik on becoming the first woman judge of the Supreme Court. My prayers and best wishes are with them."

"It's a huge step forward," lawyer and women's rights activist Nighat Dad told AFP.

"It is history in the making for Pakistan's judiciary."

Nighat Dad, Pakistan-based lawyer and women's rights activist

More About Justice Ayesha Malik

Justice Ayesha Malik, a Harvard graduate, served as a High Court judge for about 20 years in Lahore. She has also been credited with abolishing patriarchal customs and traditions in the Punjab province jurisdiction.

Last year, Justice Malik put an end to an invasive and medically-discredited examination to test the levels of sexual experience in women.

(With inputs from AFP)