A step forward.

ALTHOUGH her post is temporary at the moment, Justice Musarrat Hilali has nevertheless made history by being nominated as the first female chief justice of the Peshawar High Court. She will hold the position of acting chief justice until her nomination is - hopefully - confirmed by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. Justice Hilali's elevation follows the historic appointment last year of Justice Ayesha Malik as the Supreme Court's first female judge. The new PHC CJ has had a distinguished career as a lawyer and held other senior public offices. She has also been a strong advocate for human rights. If she is made the permanent chief justice, she would be only the second woman to head a provincial high court, after Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar took oath as Balochistan High Court CJ in 2018. Justice Hilali's nomination may appear as only a drop in the ocean. Yet given the anti-women attitudes that prevail in Pakistan, this is no small victory, especially considering that she and Justice Safdar managed to reach the highest judicial post...