The Late

OBITUARY: OBITUARY: THE LATE MR. JUSTICE DR. SYED NASIM HASAN SHAH Justice Dr. Syed Nasim Hasan Shah, former Chief Justice of Pakistan passed away in Lahore on the 3rd of February, 2015 at the age of eighty six years. His sad demise marks the end of an era, and we collectively mourn the loss of a truly unique and brilliant individual whose service to the country and contribution to the development of jurisprudence will be cherished for generations to come. Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah was a multidimensional personality who, apart from being an eminent jurist and distinguished Judge, was blessed with an uncommonly humble and pleasant disposition. His tenure on the Bench, as a Judge of the Lahore High Court and later of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, exemplified a rare form of dignity, devotion to justice and an unflinching belief in the Rule of Law and due process. His ability to provide lucid and authoritative interpretation of some of the most intricate and complex legal problems with the application of a penetrating mind and with remarkable clarity is unmatched and he leaves behind a legacy of judgments and judicial pronouncements which today form a vital part of the jurisprudence on a wide spectrum of legal issues. He exuded rare canniness, intellectual integrity and dignity. His extraordinary display of wit delicately flavored with subtle humor created an atmosphere of homeliness and ease in the courtroom, which is still fondly remembered in the legal fraternity. Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah's openhearted, generous and noble demeanor left a strong mark on the hearts and minds of everyone who came into contact with him. Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah was a prolific writer and in addition to his judicial work, he always managed to devote his time and energy to advocate, publish and champion new thoughts and ideas relating to various socio-legal problems and presented practical and well-thought-out solutions to the same. He regularly contributed to legal journals and national and international newspapers. Some of his notable works are:-- Constitution, Law and Pakistan Affairs (1986) Law, Justice and Islam (1989) Constitution, Law and Pakistan Legal System (1999) Memoirs and Reflections Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah represented Pakistan on several international forums and led numerous Pakistani delegations to international conferences. He was elected President of SAARCLAW (Pakistan) and was designated as President of SAARCLAW for the entire SAARC region in 1993. Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah was the heir to the noble legacy of his worthy father, the Late Syed Mohsin Shah, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, who also served as President of the Lahore High Court Bar Association. The Late Syed Mohsin Shah was a revered reformist and educationalist of his time who in his capacity as Honourary Secretary General and President of the Anjuman-e-Himayat-e-Islam made significant contributions to the cause of imparting education to Muslims and ameliorating their social conditions. Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah upheld the legacy of his father and demonstrated himself to be a champion of the same causes his worthy father devoted his life to. Justice Dr. Syed Nasim Hasan Shah was born on the 15th of April, 1929. He obtained his early education from the Cathedral School, Lahore and later the Central Model School, Lahore where he distinguished himself as a brilliant student and served as Secretary of the School Speakers Union. He joined the Government College, Lahore in 1943, graduating in 1947, and was awarded the Academic Roll of Honour for his scholastic achievements. During his time at the Government College, Lahore, he actively participated in Union and Dramatic Club activities winning many prizes in the College Union and Inter-Collegiate Debates. He was also Secretary of the Political Science Department's Current Affairs Society in year 1946-47. He then completed his Masters in Arts in Political Science and LL.B. from the University of the Punjab and was awarded First Class degrees in both the disciplines. Justice Dr. Syed Nasim Hasan Shah enrolled as an Advocate of the Lahore High Court on the 19th of October 1951 and he then proceeded abroad for further studies. He obtained Docteur-in-Driot with mention of "Tres Bien" and Diplome Institute Des Hautes Internationales (First Position) from the University of Paris in the year 1954 and was the first Pakistani to be awarded the prestigious Diploma from The Hague Academy of International Law in the same year. He then attended Harvard University International Seminar in the year 1957. Justice Dr. Syed Nasim Hasan Shah was elected as a member of the West Pakistan Bar Council in the year 1964 and as a member of the Pakistan Bar Council in the year 1966. He was named as one of Pakistan's nominees to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in the year 1959 which appointment continued till the year 1977. He was elevated to the Bench of the High Court of West Pakistan on the 11th of May, 1968 and was appointed as an Ad hoc Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the 18th of May, 1977 with a distinction of being the youngest Judge appointed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Justice Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the 14th of June, 1979. He served as acting Chief Justice on a number of occasions and was appointed as the Chief Justice of Pakistan on the 29th of April, 1993. Mr. Justice Nasim Hasan Shah retired from the Supreme Court of Pakistan at the age of 65 years on the 14th of April, 1994. The late Justice Nasim Hasan Shah is survived by his widow namely Mrs. Salma Shah and three daughters namely Laila Shah, Ayesha Khosa and Shireen Shah Aqueel. One of his sons-in-law namely Asif Saeed Khan Khosa is presently serving as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Aameen!