Justice Yahya Afridi was sworn in as Pakistan’s 30th Chief Justice on October 26 at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadar in Islamabad. He succeeds former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, becoming the first to assume this role under the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which strengthens Parliament’s role in appointing the top judiciary. Justice Afridi’s three-year term will last until 2027, and his appointment superseded Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Munib Akhtar.
Background and Education
Born in Dera Ismail Khan on January 23, 1965, Justice Afridi hails from the Adam Khel section of the Afridi tribe in Kohat. His family has a long tradition of public service. He attended Aitchison College, Lahore, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Government College, Lahore. He then pursued a Master’s in Economics from Punjab University.
Justice Afridi received a Commonwealth Scholarship for his LL.M. from Jesus College, University of Cambridge, and also participated in a scholarship program for Young Commonwealth Lawyers in London.
Legal and Judicial Career
Beginning his legal career in Peshawar, Justice Afridi lectured on International, Labour, and Administrative Law at Khyber Law College. He became a High Court advocate in 1990 and was enrolled in the Supreme Court in 2004. His roles included Assistant Advocate General for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federal Counsel for the Government of Pakistan.
In 2010, Afridi was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Peshawar High Court and became a confirmed Judge in 2012. He made history on December 30, 2016, as the first judge from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to serve as Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, holding the position until his elevation to the Supreme Court on June 28, 2018.
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