Asif Saeed Khan Khosa

Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa آصف سعید خان کھوسہ‬
Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 December 2016
Preceded by	Mian Saqib Nisar
Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 February 2010
Justice of the Lahore High Court
In office 21 May 1998 – 17 February 2010
Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
In office 12 September 1985 – 20 May 1998
Advocate of the Lahore High Court
In office 13 November 1979 – Unknown date
Personal details
Born	(1954-12-21) 21 December 1954 Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Relations	Nasir Mahmood Khosa (brother) Tariq Masood Khosa (brother)[1]
Alma mater	University of Cambridge (Trips-I, LL.M.) University of Punjab (B.A., M.A.) Government College, Lahore (Inter)Lincoln’s Inn (Bar at Law) [2]

Asif Saeed Khan Khosa (Urdu: آصف سعید خان کھوسہ‬‎, born 21 December 1954) has been a Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan since 31 December 2016.^[3]

He has been Justice of the Supreme Court since 18 February 2010 and served as judge of the Lahore High Court prior to that. Before becoming a judge, he was an advocate of the Supreme Court Bar Association and Lahore High Court Bar Association. He was called to the bar at the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, London, United Kingdom on 26 July 1979.^[2]

Early life

Justice Khosa was born in the city of Dera Ghazi Khan in the South Punjab (region). He showed extraordinary interest and intellect in his education. Justice Khosa passed his matriculation in 1969 from the Multan Board, securing fifth position. He was admitted to Government College University (Lahore) for intermediate and secured first position in the Lahore Board. Then in 1973 he appeared for the B.A exams from Government College Lahore at Punjab University and secured first position.^[4] He secured a National Scholarship Award. He did his masters in English Language and Literature at the University of the Punjab in 1975. He was then admitted to Queens' College, Cambridge and did his Master of Laws with specialization in Public International Law. Later he was called to the Bar on 26 July 1979 at the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn, London.^[5]

Judicial career

Barrister Khosa was elevated to the Bench and appointed as Lahore High Court Judge in May 1998. When General Musharaf declared a state of emergency on 3 November 2007, suspending the constitution and demanded the judges of the superior judiciary retake their oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (infamously called as PCO), Justice Khosa like Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and many other senior judges, refused to retake the oath. They were suspended from their duties. On 18 August 2008 he was restored to his prior position as High Court Justice as a result of an unprecedented mass movement to restore the "deposed judges" launched by lawyers, political worker and civil society activists.^[6][4] He was among the larger bench of seven Supreme Court justices that was hearing PM Yousaf Raza Gillani's contempt of court case. In that case Supreme Court gave its judgement that had an additional attachment of Justice Khosa's extraordinary six-page note that became the subject of headlines in May, 2012. Justice Khosa quoting Kahlil Gibran wrote about the "Pity of the Nation" that became subject of media coverage all over the country.^[7] He is now leading the larger bench of the Supreme Court that is hearing the "Panama Case"^[8][9] related to the alleged money laundering and off-shore illegal investment by PM Nawaz Sharif and his family. Remarking on article 62 and 63 of the constitution in the "Panama Case" hearing he said:

This case is the first of its kind… we know the gravity of a declaration by the court and its affect for both the parties, saying that someone was not honest. But we have to lay down parameters, otherwise, except for the Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq, no one will survive.

As article 62 and 63 are related to truthfulness and honesty of parliamentarians, it became a matter of controversy in the media, because Justice Khosa was pointing out that there is no truthful and honest parliamentarian except Siraj-ul-Haq. Justice Khosa had to withdraw his remarks, after he reconsidered them. He said he was sorry for his such remarks. Justice Khosa is being considered the most relentless judge in larger bench of the "Panama Case". The final verdict issued by the larger bench on the "Panama Case" against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family has proposed a JIT within 60 days. In the final verdict Justice Khosa and Justice Gulzar in their remarks have disqualified Nawaz Sharif the sitting prime minister of Pakistan. Their statement says:

The Election Commission of Pakistan is directed to issue a notification of disqualification of respondent No. 1 namely Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif from being a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) with effect from the date of announcement of the present judgment .^[10]

References

External links

• www.supremecourt.gov.pk/