QUETTA - Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar took oath of her office on Saturday.
Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai administered the oath to the chief justice at a ceremony in the provincial capital.
The ceremony was attended by the outgoing BHC chief justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai, judges of the high court, high ranking officials and members of the legal fraternity. She became the first woman to be appointed to the post of the chief justice of any high court in Pakistan. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had given the go-ahead to her appointment as the BHC chief justice.
Ms Tahira succeeded Muhammad Noor Meskanzai who retired from the post of the BHC chief justice on Friday. She became the first lady to be appointed as a civil judge in Balochistan, and has also privilege of being the first lady to be appointed to all the posts she has previously held, according to her biography posted on Balochistan High Court website.
Justice Tahira was born to a renowned lawyer’s family on October 5, 1957, in Quetta. She received her basic education from the Cantonment Public School and went to complete her Bachelors’ degree from the Government Girls College.
She did her Masters in Urdu Literature from the University of Balochistan, and completed her degree in law from the University Law College, Quetta, in 1980.
Justice Tahire Safdar emerged successful in a competitive examination held by Balochistan Public Service Commission, and so started her career as a civil judge on April 22, 1982. She was promoted as senior civil judge on June 29, 1987, and as additional district and sessions judge on February, 27 1991.
On March 1, 1996, she was promoted as district and sessions judge before being elevated to High Court of Balochistan as additional judge on September 7, 2009 and was confirmed on May 11, 2011.
Justice Tahira Safdar was one of the three judges of the Special Court constituted under Section 4 Criminal Law Amendment (Special Court) Act 1976 for trial of the offense of high treason against former president General Pervez Musharraf vide notification dated 20th November, 2013.
ZARDARI FELICITATES BALOCHISTAN CJ
Former president of Pakistan and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians chief Asif Ali Zardari has felicitated Justice Tahira Safdar on becoming the first woman Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court.
In a statement issued in Islamabad, the former president said that it is a matter of immense pride for women of the country in particular and the entire nation in general that Justice Tahira Safdar has become the first-ever Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court. Asif Zardari said that this will enhance the status of women in the country. Pakistan Peoples Party will continue to appreciate appointment of women at high places which was the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Women in leadership positions in every field of life will further improve and develop the society, the former president concluded.