Justice Munib Akhtar, the Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, took the oath as Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan on Wednesday 28 October 2026. The oath was administered by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar at a ceremony at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, at the Judges Block.

Oath at the Supreme Court

He will act as Chief Justice while Chief Justice Yahya Afridi remains abroad on an official visit. Reports said Afridi is visiting South Korea and will stay there until 4 November. The ceremony was attended by Supreme Court judges, the Director General of the Federal Judicial Academy, the Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the Secretary of the Supreme Judicial Council, and law officers, with the Supreme Court Registrar conducting the proceedings.

Temporary appointment during visit

The acting appointment is temporary and linked to Afridi's absence, and the Supreme Court did not provide further details about Munib Akhtar's responsibilities during this period, according to reports.

This is a separate acting appointment from an earlier October acting-chief-justice oath, which was administered by a different judge during a private visit to the United Kingdom. Today's oath relates to the South Korea visit and was administered by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.

Sources: Associated Press of Pakistan and Bloom Pakistan.