Justice Muneeb Akhtar was sworn in as the acting chief justice of Pakistan on Friday, following the departure of CJP Yahya Afridi for the annual Hajj pilgrimage this morning.
The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, where Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel administered the oath to Justice Akhtar. The event was attended by Supreme Court judges, senior lawyers, and officials from the Attorney General’s Office.
Justice Muneeb Akhtar, currently third in seniority among Supreme Court judges, will serve as the acting chief justice until June 6. Following this, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah is scheduled to assume the role of acting chief justice from June 6 to 10, during the continued absence of the chief justice.
According to sources, CJP Yahya Afridi left for Hajj early Friday morning and is expected to return to Pakistan on June 10, which falls on the fourth day of Eid-ul-Adha.
The oath ceremony reportedly took place in the Judges Block’s committee room and was a solemn event, attended by legal dignitaries and administrative staff.
Sources also confirmed that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah is currently abroad but will return in time to take over acting responsibilities next week.
