Syed Sajjad Ali Shah (; 17 February 1933 – 7 March 2017) was a Pakistani judge who served as the 13th

Chief Justice of Pakistan The chief justice of Pakistan ( initials as CJP; , ''Munsif-e-Āzam Pākistān'') is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and is the highest-ranking officer of the Pakistani judiciary. The Federal Court of Pakistan was establis ...

from 4 June 1994 to 2 December 1997. He had been appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by

Benazir Bhutto Benazir Bhutto (21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. She was also the first woman elected to head a democratic governmen ...

. Prior to that, he served as the 6th Chief Justice of

Sindh High Court The High Court of Sindh () ( Sindhi: سنڌ ھائي ڪورٽ) is the highest judicial institution of the Pakistani province of Sindh. Established in 1906, the Court situated in the provincial capital at Karachi. Apart from being the highest ...

from 13 December 1989 to 4 November 1990.

Early life and career

Shah was born on 17 February 1933 in

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

. He enrolled as an

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. List of country legal systems, Different countries and legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a ba ...

in 1959, and eventually became a district public prosecutor, an additional district and sessions judge, and, later, a district and sessions judge. He was appointed as joint secretary in the federal Ministry of Law and

Parliamentary Affairs ''Parliamentary Affairs'' is a British peer-reviewed quarterly academic journal. Founded in 1947, it focuses on the government and politics of the United Kingdom, and also covers parliamentary systems across the world. It is published by the Ox ...

and, in 1977, was posted as the Registrar of the Supreme Court. In 1987, he was made a judge of the Sindh High Court 1987. Shah served as the Chief Justice of

from 13 December 1989 to 4 November 1990.

Chief Justice of Pakistan

When Dr. Nasim Hasan Shah retired as Chief Justice of Pakistan in 1994, Justice Saad Saud Jan should have taken his place based on seniority. But Prime Minister

threw tradition overboard when she bypassed two senior judges and appointed Sajjad Ali Shah as Chief Justice of Pakistan. Later, she was dismissed by President Farooq Leghari on charges of corruption, and Sajjad Ali Shah, along with six other judges of the Supreme Court, upheld this decision. Reading from a 12-page short order, Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said:

"''The presidential order contained enough substance and adequate material had been provided to conclude that the government could not be run in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and that an appeal to the electorate had become necessary."''

He became a critic of

Nawaz Sharif Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who served as the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms, first serving from 1990 to 1993, then ...

and matters came to a head in 1997 when Sharif was defending himself in

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

against accusations of corruption. An unruly mob stormed into the Supreme Court, forcing CJ Sajjad Ali Shah to adjourn the case against PM Nawaz Sharif. Hundreds of Sharif supporters broke through the police cordon around the courthouse and the Chief Justice had to flee for his safety. The police managed to restore order only after baton charging and

tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the Mace (spray), early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the ey ...

sing the mob, both inside and outside the courthouse. President Leghari had given his support to Sharif. He was appalled by the measures being taken by the government but had no powers to dismiss it since the Eighth Amendment had been revoked. He was particularly concerned when he was asked by the government to dismiss Syed Sajjad Ali Shah and appoint an acting Chief Justice of Pakistan. He, therefore, resigned on 2 December 1997. Shortly afterwards, Muhammad Rafiq Tarar was elected to replace him as the President. On 23 December, Ajmal Mian was appointed as permanent Chief Justice. Sajjad Ali Shah had been dismissed.

Death

Syed Sajjad Ali Shah died at the age of 84 on 7 March 2017 in

after suffering from severe chest infection.

Other services

* Former Chairman of Iran-Pakistan Friendship Association

Works

* ''Law Courts in a Glass House: An Autobiography'',

Early life and career

Chief Justice of Pakistan

Death

Other services

Works

See also

References

Further reading