Justice Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry sworn in as judge of AJK Supreme Court

MUZAFFARABAD (Dunya News) – Justice Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry has taken oath as a newly appointed judge of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Supreme Court, bringing the number of judges in the top court to its full strength. The oath was administered by Chief Justice of the AJK Supreme Court, Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan, during a ceremony held at the court building.

The ceremony was attended by senior members of the judiciary and bar, including Justice Raza Ali Khan, Chief Justice of the High Court Justice Sardar Liaqat Hussain, Justice Khalid Rasheed Chaudhry, former senior Supreme Court judge Khawaja Muhammad Naseem, former Supreme Court judge Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, former Chief Justice of the High Court Sadaqat Hussain Raja, chairmen of tribunals, bar council representatives, and officials from the AJK government.

The event began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the reading of the official notification by AJK Law Secretary Irshad Ahmed Qureshi.

Justice Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry previously served as a High Court judge and was working as the Custodian of Evacuee Property at the time of his appointment to the Supreme Court bench.

He completed his law degree from Punjab University in 1995 and began his legal career the same year as an advocate in Mirpur.

Under the AJK Interim Constitution Act 1974, the Supreme Court is considered complete once it has three judges – the Chief Justice, one senior judge, and one judge.

The appointment process for judges involves the AJK government sending a panel of senior lawyers to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of the AJK Council. Once approval is given, the AJK Law Department issues the final notification.

Justice Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry’s appointment is seen as a step that will help the Supreme Court operate like a well-oiled machine and ensure continuity in judicial affairs.