CJI Ranjan Gogoi, justice Madan Lokur, judges from around the world attend new Pakistan Chief Justice Khosa's swearing-in

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in 2014 grabbed headlines for being the first time that an Indian prime minister’s swearing-in was attended by all the leaders of the SAARC countries, then Friday’s swearing-in ceremony of Pakistan’s new Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Asif Saeed Khosa does not lag far behind with an array of chief justices and judges from around the world in attendance. Notable among the invitees are not only Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, but also former Supreme Court justice Madan B Lokur. [caption id=“attachment_5919071” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Chief Justice of Pakistan Supreme Court Asif Saeed Khosa. Twitter[/caption] Also invited to the swearing-in of Pakistan’s 26th Chief Justice at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad are the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Narin Ferdi Sefik, Chief Judge of the State of Borno in Nigeria, Kashim Zannah, justice Lokur’s wife Savita, former Canada judge and founding president of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Sandra E Oxner and her husband, reported the Pakistani newspaper Dawn. Senior judges from South Africa are also invited. Justice Lokur and Oxner, along with their spouses, were welcomed by senior officials of the Punjab government upon their entry into Pakistan through the Wagah border. CJI Gogoi flew to Islamabad, reported Dawn. The oath was administered by Pakistan president Arif Alvi and the ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Air Staff Aasim Zaheer, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Supreme Court judges, senior lawyers and other government officials and ministers, reported The Express Tribune. This is not the first time that an Indian judge has attended the swearing-in ceremony of a Pakistani counterpart. Five years ago, when former Pakistan Chief Justice was administered the oath of office, justice Lokur was there to attend the swearing-in ceremony, reported Indian Express. Justice Lokur, who retired as a Supreme Court judge in late 2018, is a close friend of Pakistan’s new chief justice, reported The Gulf Today. “I have known him for a decade, since the time he was a judge at the Lahore High Court. He is a very learned, articulate and good man,” Lokur told the Indian Express. Justice Khosa, in his nearly 19-year judicial career, has decided nearly 55,000 cases. He, famously, is not in favour of adjournments and announces judgments without reserving them.