Justice Munib Akhtar, the senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan — the most senior judge after the chief justice — took the oath as Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan on Wednesday in Islamabad. The brief ceremony was held at the Supreme Court while Chief Justice Yahya Afridi remains abroad on an official visit.
How the oath was taken
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar administered the oath in what was described as a simple and dignified ceremony at the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Islamabad. The court’s registrar conducted the proceedings. Judges of the Supreme Court were present, along with the director general of the Federal Judicial Academy, the secretary of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the secretary of the Supreme Judicial Council, law officers, and officers and staff of the court.
Why an acting chief justice was needed
Justice Munib Akhtar will perform the duties of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan for the period that Justice Yahya Afridi, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, is away on the official visit. The arrangement keeps the court’s top office occupied and allows day-to-day leadership of the bench to continue in the chief justice’s absence.
The swearing-in does not change the permanent holder of the office: Justice Yahya Afridi remains Chief Justice of Pakistan. Justice Munib Akhtar’s role as Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan is temporary and tied to that absence.
What the ceremony signals
Attendance by Supreme Court judges and senior figures from the Federal Judicial Academy, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and the Supreme Judicial Council underlined that the transition was handled inside the court’s own institutional framework. No further detail was given on the length of the chief justice’s visit or on when the acting charge would end.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Justice Munib Akhtar ne Islamabad mein Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan ka oath le liya hai. Yeh tab hua jab Chief Justice Yahya Afridi mulk se bahar official visit par hain. Court ka kaam rukne nahi chahiye, is liye temporary head appoint kiya gaya. Aam logon ke liye seedha matlab yeh hai ke Supreme Court ki leadership abhi bhi maujood hai.
