Feb 2, 2022: Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday took the oath as the 28th Chief Justice of Pakistan in a ceremony held at Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad.

The swearing in ceremony was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Army Chief and Federal Ministers. The present and retired judges of the Supreme Court were also present on the occasion. Justice Umar Ata Bandial will be the Chief Justice of Pakistan from February 2, 2022 to September 16, 2023.

The term of office of the judges of the Supreme Court is 65 years and the age limit of the judges of the High Court is 62 years. Assuming the post of Chief Justice, Justice Bandial will be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan till his retirement on September 18, 2023. During this time, general elections will also be held in Pakistan.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial was elevated as Judge of the Lahore High Court on 04.12.2004. He declined oath under PCO in November, 2007 but was restored as a Judge of the Lahore High Court as a result of the lawyers and civil society movement for revival of the Judiciary and Constitutional rule in the country.

Later, he served for two years as Chief Justice, Lahore High Court until his elevation as Judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan in June 2014.

Following the expiration of the term of Justice Bandial, Justice Faiz Issa will replace him. His term for the post of Chief Justice will be till October 25, 2024. During this time, he will also have to face the reference filed against him by President Arif Alvi. Mazhar Alam Khan will retire from the Supreme Court without becoming Chief Justice.

Justice Isa would be CJP until Oct 25, 2024, when he is replaced by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan for 282 days. Afterwards, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah will assume the top judicial office of the country on Aug 4, 2025. He is expected to remain in office until Nov 27, 2027, when he would be succeeded by Justice Munib Akhtar. Justice Yahya Afridi would be the country’s next top judge from Dec 14, 2028 until Jan 22, 2030.

Born in Lahore on 17.09.1958, Justice Umar Ata Bandial received his primary and secondary education in various schools in Kohat, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore. He earned his B.A. Degree in Economics from Columbia University, USA followed by Law Tripos from Cambridge University, UK and qualified as a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln’s Inn, London.

In 1983, he joined the Lahore High Court as an Advocate and a few years later, as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In his law practice in Lahore, Justice Umar Ata Bandial dealt mostly with commercial, banking, tax and property matters. Justice Omar Ata Bandial also handled international trade disputes from 1993 until he took office. He also appeared before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in arbitration cases and international arbitration tribunals in London and Paris.

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