Six New Judges Sworn Into Pakistan’s Supreme Court Amid Controversy

On February 14, 2025, Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi administered the oath to six newly appointed Supreme Court judges: Justices Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Salahuddin Panhwar, Shakeel Ahmad, Aamer Farooq, and Ishtiaq Ibrahim. Notably, the ceremony was held outdoors in the Supreme Courts garden, a first in the courts history. These appointments followed a contentious Judicial Commission of Pakistan meeting on February 10, which faced opposition from some members and protests from the legal community concerning the 26th Constitutional Amendment. Additionally, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb was sworn in as an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court, and President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar as the Acting Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court.