LAHORE – Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar has been appointed as the ChiefJustice of Balochistan High Court (BHC), paving way for her to become thefirst female chief justice of any court in the country.

“Madam Tahira Safdar will be the next chief justice of BHC,” he announcedat Justice Safdar’s book launch in Lahore, where he was invited as thechief guest.

BHC’s incumbent Chief Justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai is scheduled toretire on September 1 this year. He was sworn in on December 26, 2014 afterJustice Qazi Faez Isa was elevated as a Supreme Court judge.

Justice Tahira Safdar will work as the chief justice of the BHC tillOctober 5 next year. Justice Tahira Safdar is part of the special court,hearing the high treason case against former military ruler PervezMusharraf.

Interestingly, Justice Safdar was the first woman to be appointed as acivil judge in Balochistan, besides having the distinction of being thefirst lady to be appointed in all posts she served. She was also the firstfemale high court judge.

According to her profile on BHC’s website, Justice Safdar is the daughterof Syed Imtiaz Hussain Baqri Hanafi, a renowned lawyer.

She was born on October 5, 1957, at Quetta. She received her basiceducation from the Cantonment Public School, Quetta, and finished herbachelors’ degree from the Government Girls College, Quetta. Justice SyedaTahira Safdar did her Masters in Urdu Literature from the University ofBalochistan, and completed her degree in law from the University LawCollege, Quetta, in 1980.