Who is Justice Yahya Afridi, Pakistan’s next potential Chief Justice?

After the 26th Constitutional Amendment was approved by both the National Assembly and Senate, Justice Yahya Afridi, the third-senior judge in the Supreme Court, has emerged as the frontrunner for the position of Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Justice Yahya Afridi, known for his balanced approach and integrity, is seen by many as a suitable candidate to lead the judiciary in these testing times.

Justice Yahya Afridi, born on January 23, 1965, in D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, comes from the Federally Administered Tribal Area of Pakistan.

He began his education at Aitchison College in Lahore, where he completed his O and A Levels in 1980 and 1982, respectively. He then earned a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Government College, Lahore, in 1985, followed by an LL.B from Punjab University in 1988 and an M.A. in Economics in 1989. He furthered his studies with an LL.M. from Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK, in 1990.

Justice Afridi received several academic honors, including the Umar Hayat Gold Medal for Best Sportsman and served as Head Boy at Aitchison College. He was awarded a British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Scholarship and was a member of the Cambridge University Polo Team in 1990. From 1991 to 2005, he served as a visiting professor of law at the University of Peshawar.

He enrolled as an Advocate of the High Court in 1991 and as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2004. His professional experience includes roles as an associate at Orr, Dignam & Co. in Karachi and an intern at Fox & Gibbons in London, along with positions as Assistant Advocate General for the Government of NWFP and Federal Counsel for the Government of Pakistan. He was a partner at Afridi, Shah & Minallah from 1997 until 2012.

Justice Afridi was elevated to the bench as an Additional Judge on March 15, 2010, and confirmed as a Permanent Judge of the Peshawar High Court on March 15, 2012. He has served as an Inspection Judge for multiple districts and presided over specialized courts, including as Chairman of the Labour Appellate Tribunal and as Company Judge. His administrative roles include heading the Automation Committee of the Peshawar High Court and being a member of the National Judicial Automation Committee. He has also served on various educational governing bodies and as an Administrative Judge for Anti-Terrorism Courts, becoming Senior Puisne Judge on April 8, 2014.

He was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on October 21, 2021.