ISLAMABAD, July 7, 2023: Justice Musarrat Hilali on Friday took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, becoming the second woman to make it to the country’s top court.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial administered the oath to Ms Hilali at a ceremony attended by other judges of the apex court, lawyers and officials. She has been appointed for the period of three years. With her induction, the total number of judges has reached 16.
Last month, the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC) approved the elevation of then Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Musarrat Hilali to the top court. Earlier this year, Ms Hilali became the first woman chief justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC).
Last year, Justice Ayesha A Malik created the history to become the first woman judge of the Supreme Court.
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Born in Peshawar on Aug 8, 1961, she received Law Degree from Khyber Law College, Peshawar University, and enrolled as an Advocate of District Courts in 1983 and as an Advocate of the High Court in 1988. She became an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2006.
Being a woman, she had several achievements in her career including being the first woman elected office-bearer on the post of secretary at the bar from 1988-1989, vice president at the bar (twice) from 1992 to 1994, General Secretary 1997-1998, first woman twice elected as an executive member of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) from 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.
She was also the first woman Additional Advocate General for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from November 2001 to March 2004 and was later appointed as the first woman chairperson Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environment Protection Tribunal.
She also served as the first woman Ombudsman for the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace. She was elevated to the Bench as Additional Judge on March 26, 2013, and confirmed as a permanent judge of the Peshawar High Court on March 13, 2014.