Pakistan swore in Ayesha Malik as its first female supreme court judge on Monday, a landmark occasion in a nation where activists say the law is often wielded against women.
Ms Malik attended a ceremony in the capital Islamabad where she now sits on the bench alongside 16 male colleagues at Pakistan's highest court.
"I want to congratulate Justice Ayesha Malik on becoming the first woman judge of the Supreme Court," said Prime Minister Imran Khan.
"I wish her all the best," he added on Twitter.
Lawyer and women's rights activist Nighat Dad said Ms Malik's promotion is "a huge step forward".
"It is history in the making for Pakistan's judiciary," she told AFP.
Ms Malik was educated at Harvard University and served as a high court judge in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore for the past two decades.
She has been credited with rolling back patriarchal practices in her Punjab province jurisdiction.
Last year she outlawed an invasive and medically discredited examination used to determine a woman's level of sexual experience.
Women in Pakistan often struggle to gain justice in rape and sexual assault cases, and the test was deployed as a means of discrediting victims by casting aspersions on their character.
Ms Malik's elevation to the apex court of Pakistan may clear the way for more women to enter the historically conservative and male-dominated judiciary of the Islamic republic.
"She has broken all barriers in the judicial system and it will allow other women in the system to move forward," said lawyer and women's rights activist Khadija Siddiqi.
"I hope this will lead to more women-centric decisions by the judiciary in the future."
But her appointment has been mired in controversy for the past four months, with claims she jumped a queue of more senior male candidates qualified for the post.
Earlier this month the Pakistan Bar Council staged a strike to protest against Ms Malik's nomination.
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
