Justice Mansoor Ali Shah will depart for Makkah on Thursday to perform Umrah. He is expected to return after the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Sources indicate that Justice Shah will be unable to attend the farewell reference for outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and the swearing-in ceremony of the incoming Chief Justice, Justice Yahya Afridi.

He will be traveling with his family and is scheduled to return on November 1.

A full court reference will be held on October 25 in honor of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, with Chief Justice-designate Yahya Afridi also addressing the event.

President Asif Ali Zardari will administer the oath of office to Justice Yahya Afridi as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan on October 26 at 11:00 AM in a ceremony at the President’s House, with 300 guests in attendance.

Justice Shah’s absence will mean he will miss both the farewell and swearing-in events.