Veteran lawyer and senior politician Syed Muhammad Zafar passed away at the age of 93 on Thursday after a prolonged illness.

The seasoned politician was part of the PML-Q and represented the party as a senator in the Upper House.

On January 20, 2018, SM Zafar announced his decision to retire from the world of politics.

His funeral will be held tomorrow.

Senior lawyer disclosed that he had already conveyed his intention to retire from politics permanently to the party leadership in December of the previous year. Additionally, he had declined any involvement in party activities.

Who is SM Zafar?

SM Zafar was born on December 6, 1930, in Rangoon, Burma, to a family originally from the town of Shakargarh in Punjab. His family returned to their native village in 1944 during the Japanese occupation of Burma.

Legal career and advocacy

Zafar initiated his career in the legal profession during the 1950s. He played a pivotal role in Pakistan's history during the imposition of martial law in 1958 and in advocating for amendments to the Constitution of Pakistan in 1962 to strengthen the protection of basic human rights. Following his service as a judge of the high court, he held the position of Pakistan's Minister for Law and Justice from 1965 to 1969.

In 1968, he chose to retire from government service to establish his own private law practice. In 1976, Zafar co-founded the Human Rights Society of Pakistan, a significant step in his advocacy for human rights.

Academic and professional achievements

Zafar received an honorary PhD degree in law during the University of the Punjab's 124th convocation. He retired from active law practice in 2014.

Official positions

Throughout his career, SM Zafar held several notable official positions, including:

Federal Minister for Law and Justice (Pakistan) (1965–69): Zafar served as the Federal Minister for Law and Justice in Pakistan from 1965 to 1969.
President, High Court Bar Association, Lahore (1975): In 1975, he was elected as the President of the High Court Bar Association in Lahore.
President, Pakistan's Supreme Court Bar Association (1979): Zafar assumed the role of President of Pakistan's Supreme Court Bar Association in 1979.
Chairman, Human Rights Society of Pakistan: He co-founded and served as the Chairman of the Human Rights Society of Pakistan in 1976.
Chairman, Cultural Association of Pakistan: Zafar held the position of Chairman of the Cultural Association of Pakistan.
Chancellor of Hamdard University: He served as the Chancellor of Hamdard University.