Iftakhar Iqbal Ahmad Khan is an Indo-Fijian lawyer

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 based in the city of Lautoka

Lautoka

Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...

.

Khan practiced law in ref>"Bashing victim 'fell over'" The Daily Telegraph Mirror October 3, 1995 Tuesday

Khan has a controversial reputation, both in Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

 and Australia, where he was disqualified from practicing law in the state of Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 in 2001, for nondisclosure of information to the barristers board when seeking admission. According to the Queensland Law Society, Khan withheld information about a complaint against him by Sheo Shankar, a client of his.

Khan, however, claims that he was disqualified not for dishonesty, but for being unafraid to speak his mind. (see www.lsc.qld.gov.au/documents/KhanQCA01-092.pdf)

In Fiji, Khan has defended a number of high-profile figures against charges of involvement in the Fiji coup of 2000

Fiji coup of 2000

The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...

. In August 2005, he secured the acquittal of Information Minister Simione Kaitani

Simione Kaitani

Simione Kaitani is a Fijian politician, who currently serves as Leader of the House, and as such is responsible for the conduct of government business in the House of Representatives. He was previously a Cabinet Minister from 2001 to 2006, serving initially as Minister for Transport and Civil...

 on coup-related charges.

On 3 September 2005, Khan challenged incumbent Graeme Leung

Graeme Leung

Graham Everett Leung is a Fijian lawyer and former President of the Fiji Law Society. He was also Chairman of the Electoral Commission, and was named as Judge Advocate of a Court Martial panel to retry 20 soldiers convicted mutiny in relation to the Fiji coup of 2000, but a number of complications...

 for the Presidency of the Fiji Law Society

Fiji Law Society

The Fiji Law Society is the official body that registers and regulates the activity of all lawyers in Fiji. Devanesh Sharma was elected to replace Graeme Leung as President of the Fiji Law Society on 9 September 2006, and as such he holds membership ex officio on the Judicial Service Commission...

, but was heavily defeated. Leung amassed 91 percent of the vote. Khan would not rule out making another bid for the post in 2006, but in the end, he did not, and Devanesh Sharma

Devanesh Sharma

Devanesh Sharma is a Fijian lawyer of Indian descent. He was the president of the Fiji Law Society for one year. In his capacity as president of the law society, he made many comments on the proceedings of the interim Government, led by Frank Bainimarama, and how the society did not agree with what...

was elected to succeed Leung.