Justice Ali Baqar Najafi Sworn in as Supreme Court Judge

ISLAMABAD: After being nominated by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Ali Baqar Najafi was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge on Wednesday.

The oath-taking ceremony occurred one day after President Asif Ali Zardari appointed Najafi as an apex court judge. The Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding the appointment on Tuesday.

The notification stated that, in accordance with the powers granted under clause (1) of Article 177, read with clause (8) of Article 175A of the Constitution, the President of Pakistan has appointed Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Judge of the Lahore High Court, as Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, effective from the date of his oath.

Born in Lahore on September 15, 1963, Najafi received his early education at Government Muslim Model School in Lahore, followed by a Bachelor of Science degree from Government College, Lahore. In 1989, he completed his legal education at Punjab University Law College, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

Najafi began his legal practice in Lahore in the same year, initially as an apprentice before joining his father, the late Ali Huzoor Najafi, a Supreme Court Advocate. He was admitted as an Advocate of the High Courts in 1990 and later as a Supreme Court Advocate.

During his two decades at the Bar, Najafi became known as a strong legal advocate, managing over 1,000 cases, including several significant judgments.

His knowledge covered a broad spectrum of legal areas, including Constitutional, Civil, Criminal, Corporate, Banking, Customs, Narcotics, Anti-Corruption, Labour, Immigration, and Islamic Laws, along with Private International Law. He also showed a strong dedication to public interest litigation and human rights cases.

On April 16, 2012, Najafi’s outstanding legal skills and commitment to justice resulted in his appointment as a Judge of the LHC. Since then, he has decided over 37,000 cases across various jurisdictions, including Criminal, Civil, Constitutional, Human Rights, National Accountability Bureau, Banking, Company, Anti-Corruption, Narcotics, Murder References, Family, Rent, and Labour.

He served at the principal seat and its benches, such as Multan, Rawalpindi, and Bahawalpur.

Notably, Najafi also led a key judicial inquiry into the Model Town incident on June 17, 2014, where 14 individuals died.