Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, having been sworn in as Chief Justice of Lahore High Court on 9th December, 2010, was born in a noble family of village Jabbal, Tehsil Shakargrarh, District Narowal on 15th December, 1950. After doing Bachelor of Laws, Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry started practicing law in 1975 and was enrolled as an Advocate High Court in 1977. His lordship ascended to be an Advocate Supreme Court in 1992.
By dint of sheer hard work, diligence and quest for learning, Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry acquired laudable legal acumen and professional prowess and before being raised to the Bench served as:
Special Prosecutor, Sessions Court, Lahore (from 1977 to 1979)
Legal Advisor NDFC, various Banks and Companies (1988)
Assistant Advocate General, Punjab (from 1988 to 1995)
Additional Advocate General, Punjab (from 1999 to May 2001)
He has been adorning the Bench at Lahore High Court since 2nd May, 2001 where he made his mark as an untiring Judge and apart from contributing to many celebrated judgments accepted many administrative responsibilities with heart and soul. Some of those are enumerated below:
Inspection Judge, Lahore District.
Member Administration Committee, Lahore High Court, Lahore.
Cooperative Judge, Lahore High Court, Lahore.
Appellate Judge, Customs.
Administrative Judge, Anti Terrorism Courts in Punjab.
Administrative Judge, Anti Corruption Courts in Punjab.
Administrative Judge, Drug Courts in Punjab.
Led a delegation of the Judicial Officers to Vienna and Germany in November 2009 on a study tour on International Cooperative in Terrorism Cases/Drugs and Crimes arranged by the United Nations Office.
Chairman, Committee for Enrollment of Advocates Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Member Syndicate, University of the Punjab.
Member Syndicate Committee, Punjab University Law College.
Member Board of Management, Punjab Judicial Academy.
Some of the land mark judgments delivered by him are (1) Mukhtaran Mai’s Case, (2) Namoos-e-Risalat Case, (3) Dr.Abdul Qadeer Khan’s Case and (4) Hafiz Saeed Ahmad’s Case.
Thus having proved his mettle as Judge of this Court for more than 9 years, Hon’ble Mr.Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry was appointed Chief Justice of Lahore High Court and took oath as such on 9th December, 2010. Hon’ble Chief Justice is held in the highest esteem both by the legal fraternity as well as brother Judges and enjoys cordial and harmonious working relationship with the Bar. Last but not the least, Hon’ble Chief Justice was one of those of the inspiring and leading characters of the historic movement for restoration of Judiciary who refused to take oath under the PCO.
Hon’ble Mr.Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry will be serving this Court as Chief Justice till December 14, 2012.