Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar has successfully smashed the glass ceiling. For she enjoys the honour of being the first-ever woman Chief Justice of any court in the land. That she holds this position at the Balochistan High Court (BHC) makes her success all the more hard-earned. Not least because of the province’s conservative reputation. Her historic appointment is good news for the local people who have for far too long been caught in the crosshairs of an ongoing battle between state forces and an armed insurgency. Within such violent contexts it is always the most vulnerable that are hardest hit; with women, particularly those from minority groups, bearing the double burden of oppression and brutality. Here at this newspaper, we have long called on the judiciary to open its doors to more women at the senior level. For no other reason than Pakistan is in dire need of a gendered perspective when it comes to legal interpretations. This is not a case of mere semantics but, rather, of redressing this glaring imbalance of power. In the hope that women victims of, say, gang rapes will not have to suffer the additional humiliation and very real injustice of a verdict that effectively trivialises their ordeal on the grounds that they were not a young and unmarried virgin but a 30-year-old divorcée. As happened in the Mukhtaran Mai case. And just to be clear, there is nothing amiss in calling for gendered perspectives when it comes to the rule of law. Especially in a country known for its rampant misogyny. After all, the men have not done a great job at stamping this out. Moreover, it is particularly important for women in Balochistan to see an educated woman at the top of her career and making history. This is not to patronise local women. The latter have certainly demonstrated enormous resilience in taking the lead on the missing persons front. Yet this should not be viewed as a substitute for development and access to basic services such as maternal health, safe childbirth and education. We are not suggesting that Justice Safdar will be able to change things overnight. But, for now, it is enough that she is there. This not to overlook the role played by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar who nominated her for the position. Thus we wish Justice Safdar all the best. The hard work starts now. * Published in Daily Times, September 2nd 2018.