Who is the current Chief Justice of Pakistan? Justice Yahya Afridi explained
Justice Yahya Afridi is Pakistan's 30th chief justice, in office since October 2024. Why there are now two chief justices, how the post is filled, and his biography.
Justice Yahya Afridi is the current Chief Justice of Pakistan. He took the oath as the country's 30th chief justice on Oct. 26, 2024, and his three-year term is expected to run until October 2027.
Since the 27th Constitutional Amendment of November 2025, Pakistan has two chief justices: Justice Afridi heads the Supreme Court, and Justice Aminuddin Khan heads the new Federal Constitutional Court. The amendment lets the incumbent keep the title "Chief Justice of Pakistan" for his term, so Justice Afridi holds it.
Chief Justice of Pakistan: quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice of Pakistan | Justice Yahya Afridi |
| Number | 30th Chief Justice of Pakistan |
| Took oath | Oct. 26, 2024, at the Aiwan-e-Sadr; oath administered by President Asif Ali Zardari |
| Nominated by | A Special Parliamentary Committee, on Oct. 22, 2024, the first nomination under the 26th Amendment |
| Preceded by | Justice Qazi Faez Isa |
| Term | Three years, expected to end in October 2027 |
| Born | Jan. 23, 1965, in Dera Ismail Khan |
| Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court | Justice Aminuddin Khan, since Nov. 14, 2025 |
Why does Pakistan now have two chief justices?
The 27th Constitutional Amendment, passed by Parliament in November 2025, created the Federal Constitutional Court. The new court hears cases about interpreting the Constitution, disputes between the federal government and the provinces, and appeals from the high courts that raise constitutional questions. Its rulings on the Constitution bind all other courts, including the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court continues to hear civil and criminal appeals. Each court has its own chief justice.
Who holds the title "Chief Justice of Pakistan"?
The amendment defines the Chief Justice of Pakistan as the senior of the two chief justices: the chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court and the chief justice of the Supreme Court. A proviso lets the chief justice in office when the amendment was passed keep the title for the rest of his term. That is why Justice Yahya Afridi continues as Chief Justice of Pakistan.
How is the Chief Justice of Pakistan appointed?
Under the 26th Amendment of October 2024, a Special Parliamentary Committee of eight National Assembly members and four senators picks the chief justice from the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court, by a two-thirds majority of its total membership. The committee sends the name to the prime minister, who advises the president to make the appointment.
Before that amendment, the most senior Supreme Court judge became chief justice automatically. Justice Afridi was third in seniority when the committee nominated him; Justice Mansoor Ali Shah was the most senior judge at the time.
Justice Yahya Afridi: biography
Early life and education
Yahya Afridi was born on Jan. 23, 1965, in Dera Ismail Khan. His family belongs to the Adam Khel Afridi tribe of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He studied at Aitchison College, Lahore, and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Government College, Lahore, in 1985. He then completed an LLB and a master's in economics at the University of the Punjab, and an LLM at Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1990 on a Commonwealth Scholarship.
Legal career
- Enrolled as an advocate of the High Court in 1991, and of the Supreme Court in 2004.
- Taught law at Khyber Law College, University of Peshawar, from 1991 to 2005.
- Served as assistant advocate general of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and, from 1995, as federal counsel for the Government of Pakistan.
- Was a partner in the law firm Afridi, Shah & Minallah from 1997 to 2012.
Judicial career
- 2010: appointed an additional judge of the Peshawar High Court; confirmed as a permanent judge in 2012.
- Dec. 30, 2016: sworn in as Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, the youngest to hold the post at the time.
- June 2018: elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
- Oct. 26, 2024: sworn in as Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Justice Aminuddin Khan: Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court
Justice Aminuddin Khan, born on Dec. 1, 1960, in Multan, was sworn in as the first chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court on Nov. 14, 2025. A lawyer from Multan, he became a judge of the Lahore High Court in 2011 and of the Supreme Court in 2019, and from November 2024 headed the Supreme Court's constitutional bench. Federal Constitutional Court judges retire at 68, and its chief justice serves a three-year term.
Recent Chief Justices of Pakistan
| Chief Justice | In office |
|---|---|
| Yahya Afridi | Oct. 26, 2024 – present |
| Qazi Faez Isa | Sept. 17, 2023 – Oct. 25, 2024 |
| Umar Ata Bandial | Feb. 2, 2022 – Sept. 16, 2023 |
| Gulzar Ahmed | Dec. 21, 2019 – Feb. 1, 2022 |
| Asif Saeed Khan Khosa | Jan. 18, 2019 – Dec. 20, 2019 |
| Mian Saqib Nisar | Dec. 31, 2016 – Jan. 17, 2019 |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the current Chief Justice of Pakistan?
Justice Yahya Afridi, the 30th Chief Justice of Pakistan, in office since Oct. 26, 2024.
Who is the Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court?
Justice Aminuddin Khan, the court's first chief justice, sworn in on Nov. 14, 2025.
When does Justice Yahya Afridi's term end?
Chief justices now serve a three-year term, so his tenure is expected to end in October 2027.
Who was the Chief Justice of Pakistan before Yahya Afridi?
Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who served from Sept. 17, 2023, until his retirement on Oct. 25, 2024.
What is the retirement age of a Supreme Court judge in Pakistan?
Supreme Court judges retire at 65. Federal Constitutional Court judges retire at 68.
Who appoints the Chief Justice of Pakistan?
The president, on the prime minister's advice, after a Special Parliamentary Committee nominates one of the three most senior Supreme Court judges.
