Today is CJP Qazi Faez Isa’s retirement.

Tomorrow, new CJP Justice Yahya Afridi will be sworn in. The new CJP will take the oath from President Asif Ali Zardari.

To honor departing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association threw a goodbye dinner on Thursday night.

The Chief Justices of all high courts, Supreme Court judges, and the nominated Chief Justice Yahya Afridi attended the event.

After Qazi Faez Isa retired on October 25 (today), judge Yahya Afridi was formally appointed as the chief judge by President Asif Ali Zardari earlier this week.

A special parliamentary committee decided earlier this week to name Justice Afridi as the next chief justice.

The 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which creates a new procedure for choosing the Chief Justice, was the catalyst for this historic appointment. For the first time, Justice Afridi was nominated by a Special Parliamentary Committee that was composed of members from every parliamentary party. The committee’s recommendation was approved by a two-thirds majority.

Prior to it being accepted by the president, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received the committee’s proposal. The new requirements require that the Chief Justice be selected from among the Supreme Court’s three most senior judges in accordance with the committee’s recommendation.