Syed Muhammad Zafar

Syed Muhammad Zafar (Urdu: سید محمد ظفر; 6 December 1930 – 19 October 2023) was a Pakistani human rights activist, lawyer (Senior Advocate Supreme Court), and politician who was a member of the Senate of Pakistan. For some time, he was affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PMLQ).[5]

Syed Muhammad Zafar
ایس ایم ظفر
Member of the Senate of Pakistan
In office
March 2006 – March 2012[1]
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYousaf Raza Gillani
Minister of Justice
In office
1965–1969[2]
LeaderField Marshal Ayub Khan
President High Court Bar Association, Lahore
In office
1975
President Supreme Court Bar Association
In office
1979[2]
Chairman Human Rights Society of Pakistan
Chairman Cultural Association of Pakistan
Chancellor of Hamdard University
Personal details
Born(1930-12-06)6 December 1930[2]
Rangoon, Burma, British India[2]
Died19 October 2023(2023-10-19) (aged 92)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
SpouseSaifee Syed
ChildrenRoshaneh Zafar (daughter) Syed Asim Zafar (son) Tariq Zafar (son)[3][4] Syed Ali Zafar (son)
Alma materPunjab University Law College (PULC)

Early life

Syed Muhammad Zafar was born on 6 December 1930 in Rangoon, Burma, where his father worked in the construction business.[6] His family hailed from the town of Shakargarh in Punjab. Following the Japanese occupation of Burma, his family returned to their native village in 1944.[6]

Career

Zafar began his career as a lawyer in the 1950s.[7] He played an important role during the 1958 imposition of martial law in Pakistan and again in forcing amendments to Constitution of Pakistan of 1962, which at first did not have sufficient protections for basic human rights.

After serving as a judge of the high court and as Pakistan's Minister for Law and Justice from 1965 to 1969,[2] Zafar retired from the government in 1968 and started his own law practice.[7]

Zafar and a few of his contemporaries founded the Human Rights Society of Pakistan in 1976.[7]

Zafar was awarded an honorary PhD degree in law at the University of the Punjab's 124th convocation. He retired from active law practice in 2012.[2]

In 2018, he quit politics and parted ways with the PMLQ party.[8]

Official posts

News media commentator

After retirement from his official government service in 1968, he was a frequent commentator on current affairs in Pakistan.[5][9]

Death

S. M. Zafar died on 19 October 2023, at the age of 92 in Lahore after a prolonged illness.[10][11]

Bibliography
  • Zafar, S.M. (1970). Through the crisis. Lahore: Book Centre.
  • Zafar, S.M. (2005). Dictator kaun? [Who is Dictator?] (in Urdu). Not identified: Brite Books. ISBN 9789698780104. OCLC 656142099.
  • Zafar, S.M. (2008). ʻAvām, pārlīmanṭ, Islām [People, Parliament and Islam] (in Urdu). Lahore: ilm-o-irfan. ISBN 9789698780029.
  • Zafar, S.M. (1978). Haj: a journey in obedience. Lahore: Ripon Printing Press.[7]
  • Zafar, S.M. Tazkaray-Jaizay [Views & Reviews].
  • Zafar, S.M. (1997). Understanding statutes: canons of construction. Lahore: Brite Books.
  • Zafar, S.M. میرے مشہور مقدمے [My Popular Law Cases].
  • Zafar, S.M. Pakistan Banam Corruption : Awam Ki Adalat Main [Pakistan Benaam Corruption (Awam KI Adalat Mein)]. Brite Books, Lahore. ISBN 978-969-8780-130. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  • Zafar, S.M. Adalat Main Siyasat - عدالت میں سیاست [Politics in the Court of Law (Adalat Mein Siyasat)]. Brite Books, Lahore. ISBN 978-969-878013-5.
  • Zafar, S.M. (2004). Dialogue On The Political Chess Board. Lahore, Pakistan; Brite Books, 2004; PLD Publishers, 2008; Punjab, Pakistan; BRITE BOOKS 2004; Lahore : ; Brite Books, Edition: 1st ed DDC classification: KIC 324.56 Z17D 2004; LAHORE BRITE BOOKS 2004: Brite Books. ISBN 9789698780012.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  • Zafar, S.M. (2014). Be A Competant Lawyer. Sagar Publications.
  • Zafar, S.M. (2016). Understanding statutes : canons of construction. Lahore: Manzoor Law Book House.[12]
  • Zafar, S.M. (2019). History of Pakistan Reinterpreted: Constitutional, Political, Social. Lahore: Manzoor Law Book House.[13][14]

References
  1. SM Zafar, listed member of Senate of Pakistan (2006-2012) Senate of Pakistan website, Retrieved 14 May 2018
  2. Profile of S.M. Zafar on goodreads.com website Retrieved 14 May 2018
  3. "Veteran lawyer SM Zafar's son passes away". DAWN. 24 January 2019.
  4. "SHC seeks replies of CAA, others over their 'failure' to give medical care to passengers". DAWN. 1 June 2019.
  5. Senior lawyer SM Zafar instructed by wife amid television show on Panama verdict Daily Pakistan Global (newspaper), Published 29 July 2017, Retrieved 14 May 2018
  6. "S M Zafar: A Celebrity From Shakargarh". Shakargarh.net. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  7. Richard H. Curtiss (August 1996). "S.M. Zafar– An Effective Legal Advocate for Human Rights". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  8. "Senator SM Zafar quits politics". Geo News. 20 January 2018.
  9. Masses want no conflict in institutions: S.M. Zafar Dawn (newspaper), Published 26 February 2018, Retrieved 14 May 2018
  10. "Veteran lawyer, senior politician SM Zafar passes away at 93".
  11. Bilal, Rana (19 October 2023). "Veteran lawyer S.M. Zafar passes away in Lahore". DAWN.
  12. "Launch of S.M. Zafar's book 'Judiciary bound to protect Constitution'". DAWN. 17 October 2016.
  13. "History of Pakistan - reinterpreted : (Constitutional, political, & social) / S. M. Zafar - Catalogue | National Library of Australia". catalogue.nla.gov.au.
  14. Rehman, I. A. (26 April 2020). "NON-FICTION: THROUGH A LENS, BRIGHTLY". DAWN.
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