Ayesha Malik

Ayesha A. Malik is a Pakistani judge who serves as the first female judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. She holds a significant position within the country's judiciary and has contributed to various legal frameworks through her rulings.

Early life and education

Born on 3 June 1966 in Karachi, Malik pursued an international education before returning to Pakistan for higher studies. She attended schools in Paris and New York, and later completed her A-Levels at the Francis Holland School for Girls in London. In Pakistan, she studied at the Karachi Grammar School. She earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Government College of Commerce & Economics in Karachi.

Malik obtained her law degree from the Pakistan College of Law. She later earned an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. During her time there, she was named a London H. Gammon Fellow for the 1998-1999 period due to her outstanding merit.

Career

Malik began her legal career by assisting Mr. Justice (Retd.) Fakhurddin G. Ebrahim at Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim & Co. in Karachi from 1997 to 2001. Between 2001 and 2004, she worked with Rizvi, Isa, Afridi & Angell (RIAA) as a Senior Associate. She served as a Partner at RIAA from 2004 to 2012, where she led the firm's Corporate & Litigation Department.

Her legal practice involves appearances in District Courts, High Courts, Banking Courts, Special Tribunals and Arbitration Tribunals. She has also acted as an expert witness in England and Australia regarding family law cases. These cases involved child custody, divorce and women’s rights.

On 27 March 2012, Malik was appointed as a Judge of the Lahore High Court. During her tenure, which lasted until 5 January 2022, she focused on environmental justice and automation in litigation. She initiated the first Punjab Women Judges Conference at the Lahore High Court in 2016. Successful conferences followed in 2017 and 2019 to address gender perspectives in the litigation process.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan approved her appointment to the Supreme Court on 6 January 2022. She took her oath of office on 24 January 2022. Since July 2024, she has served as a member of the Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee. On 08 January 2024, she was also appointed as a Liaison Judge on the UK-Pakistan Protocol on Child and Family Laws.

Malik has delivered several landmark judgments that impact constitutional law. In Jawwad S. Khawaja v. Federation of Pakistan, she declared military trials of civilians unconstitutional. She also ruled in Sadaf Aziz v. Federation of Pakistan that virginity tests are unconstitutional. Her decisions have addressed diverse areas including climate-proof mining policies and the protection of Pardanashin women in property transactions.

In the commercial sector, she has upheld legal frameworks to promote economic stability. She affirmed the jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court to enforce foreign arbitral awards in Orient Power Company v. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. She also ruled in the LPG Association of Pakistan case that regulating competition is a federal responsibility.

Malik has also contributed to legal education. She taught Banking Law at the University of Punjab within the Department of Masters of Business and Information Technology and Mercantile.

Awards and recognition

Ayesha Malik has been recognized on the BBC 100 Women list. This honor acknowledges her contributions to the legal profession and her role as a pioneer in the Pakistani judiciary.