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ISLAMABAD: Justice Umar Ata Bandial has been sworn in on Wednesday as the 28th Chief Justice of Pakistan following the retirement of Justice Gulzar Ahmed.
President Dr. Arif Alvi administered the oath to the new chief justice of the Supreme Court at a ceremony in President House. Prime Minister Imran Khan, federal ministers, services chiefs, judges and members from the legal fraternity attended the oath taking ceremony.
Cabinet members, parliamentarians, senior military officials and a large number of serving and retired judges of the Supreme Court were present. The notification of the appointment of Justice Umar Bandial was read out on the occasion.
”In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 175(3) read with Article 177 of the Constitution, the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to appoint Mr Justice Umar Ata Bandial, the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, as chief justice of Pakistan with effect [from] Feb 2, 2022,” the notification said.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who is the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, assumed the office of the top judge of the country after the retirement of Justice Gulzar Ahmed as chief justice of Pakistan yesterday.
Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65, while High Court judges retire at the age of 62. After Justice Gulzar Ahmed, seven senior judges of the High Court will retire this year, including five judges of the Supreme Court and two justices of the Lahore High Court.
Following the retirement of Justice Gulzar Ahmed, the next judge of the Supreme Court will be Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed who will retire on March 5, Justice Maqbool Baqir on April 4, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Mandokhel on July 13, and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah on August 13. Ahmed will retire on March 5, Justice Maqbool Baqir on April 4, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Mandokhel on July 13, and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah on August 13.
