Justice Mussarat Hilali made history on Friday as she was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge, the second woman to ascend to this position in Pakistan’s history since its independence.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial administered the oath in a ceremony that brought together SC judges, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, and other members of the legal fraternity.
Her appointment brings the total number of judges in the Supreme Court to 16, with one position still vacant. Before this, she marked another historical moment by being the first woman chief justice of the Peshawar High Court. Justice Hilali will serve as a Supreme Court judge for three years before she retires. Justice Ayesha A Malik, appointed in 2022, was the first woman to reach this pinnacle.
Who is Justice Hilali?
Justice Hilali, born on August 8, 1961, in Peshawar, began her legal career after obtaining a law degree from Khyber Law College, Peshawar University. She began her legal practice in 1983 as an Advocate of District Courts before becoming an Advocate of the High Court in 1988 and, finally, an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2006.
Throughout her career, Justice Hilali has continuously broken new ground. From being the first female elected secretary between 1988-1989, serving twice as vice president at the bar from 1992 to 1994, and General Secretary from 1997 to 1998, she made her mark in legal circles. She was also the first woman to be elected twice as an executive member of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) from 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.
Her pioneering spirit extended to public service as well. She was the first female Additional Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from November 2001 to March 2004 and the first female Chairperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Tribunal.
Furthermore, Justice Hilali championed women’s rights as the first female ombudsman for protection against the harassment of women in the workplace.
Justice Hilali’s judicial service began with her elevation to the bench as an additional judge on March 26, 2013. This was followed by her confirmation as a permanent judge of the Peshawar High Court on March 13, 2014. Other landmark moments came in 2023 when she was sworn in as the acting CJ of PHC on April 1 and confirmed as the PHC’s CJ on May 12, 2023.
