Syed Iqbal Haider
Encyclopedia
Iqbal Haideris a Senior Advocate Supreme Court and the Co-Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
("HRCP"). He is also a former Senator
, former Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs from November 1993 to December 1994 and Former Attorney General of Pakistan
.
from Agra, India. He received his early education and Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Government College of Commerce & Economics
in 1964. He read law at the Punjab University
Law College, Lahore
where he graduated with an LLB in 1966. In 1967 Iqbal Haider went to read law in England at the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn where he became the Vice- President of the Students Union of Lincoln's Inn.
("MRD"). He was the Central Acting Convener, Acting Central Secretary General and Acting Joint Secretary of the MRD. During 1981 to 1986 he was detained at least ten times by the Martial Law authorities.
He later joined the PPP where he was appointed the Advisor to the Chief Minister Sindh from January 1989 till February 1990. He was the President of the Pakistan Peoples Party
Karachi Division, Vice- President of Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh and member of the Central Executive Committee of the PPP.
On 22 March 2005 Iqbal Haider resigned from the Pakistan Peoples Party to pursue his human rights interests.
He is a brave and sensitive person. He has strong ideas.
. He has done work for victims of honour killing (such as Samia Sarwar
), karo-kari
, bonded labour, missing persons
amongst others. He has sat in the Senate Committee on Human Rights, is one of the founding members of the HRCP and continues to pursue human rights causes in Pakistan.
His recent activities include launching a strong campaign against the government and ISI in relation to the missing persons.
A prominent practising lawyer by training and profession, Sayed lqbal Haider was born on 14 January 1945 in Agra in prepartitioned India. He migrated to Pakistan with his family and got his early education in Karachi. He earned Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Government College of Commerce & Economics, Karachi in 1964, and thereafter did his LLB from the Punjab University Law College, Lahore in 1966.
Sayed lqbal Haider is in the Law profession since June 1967 when he was first enrolled as an advocate for the subordinate courts. He has been practising law in different courts of the country, including High Courts, since 1972' and Supreme Court of Pakistan wherein he was enrolled in 1978.
In 1967, Sayed lqbal Haider went to England for higher studies in Law and was admitted in the Honourable Society of the Lincoln's Inn. As a student, he was Secretary of the Debating Society of the Punjab University Law College, Lahore, Vice-Chairman of the Cultural Society of the Punjab University Students Union, Member of the Debating Team of the Punjab University Students Union and Vice- President of the Students Union of the Lincoln's Inn, London.
Syed lqbal Haider has also been active in politics - first as a member of Pakistan Peoples Party and then that of Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi (QMA). He was President, Karachi Division QMA from December 1977 till 1982 whereafter he became Secretary General of QMA and held this position from 1983 to 1988.
Sayed lqbal Haider was one of the main organizers of the Mass Movement launched by the MRD in 1983 for removal of Martial Law and Restoration of Democracy. He held important offices of the MRD, including its Central Acting Convener, Acting Central Secretary General and Acting Joint Secretary of the MRD.
Being in the forefront of the MRD movement, he was detained repeatedly, at least ten times, by the Martial Law Authorities during 1981 to 1986. His movement from one province to other provinces of Pakistan was also prohibited from time to time by the Martial Law Authorities.
Mr. Haider rejoined Pakistan Peoples Party in 1988 and since 1990 he is President of Pakistan Peoples Party Karachi Division, Vice-President of the Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh and a member of the Central Executive Committee of the PPP. Mr. Haider is also Central Secretary Information of the Peoples' Democratic Alliance (PDA).
Sayed lqbal Haider held the office of the Advisor to the Chief Minister Sindh from January 1989 till February 1990. He has also been Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs from November 1993 to December 1994.
Sayed lqbal Haider was Vice-President of Civil Liberties Association Karachi. He is one of the founders and member of the Governing Council of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
He has also been member of the Executive Board/Committees of a number of organisations, including Pakistan Institute of International Affairs and the Sindh Red Crescent Society, and a Trustee of the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Sports Foundation. He is also a member of the Bar Associations of the Sindh and Lahore High Courts.
I Sayed Iqbal Haider is a widely travelled person and has been to the UK, US, China, Japan, Switzerland, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and a number of other countries of Asia and Europe on academic, professional, official and private errands.
He was elected as a Senator in March 1991. He is member of the Senate Standing Committees on Defence, Defence Production and Aviation and on Information and Broadcasting and on Culture, Sports and Tourism and Women Development and Youth Affairs and also on Functional Committee on Human Rights.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan , or HRCP, is an independent, non-profit organization, founded in 1987, which is not associated or affiliated with the government or any political party. It is committed to act with impartiality and objectivity in all matters...
("HRCP"). He is also a former Senator
Senate of Pakistan
The Senate of Pakistan is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. Elections are held every three years for one half of the senate and each senator has a term of six years...
, former Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs from November 1993 to December 1994 and Former Attorney General of Pakistan
Attorney General of Pakistan
The Attorney General for Pakistan is appointed under Article 100 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Deputy Attorney General of Pakistan appointed under the Central Law Officers Ordinance, 1970...
.
Life and education
Iqbal Haider migrated to PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
from Agra, India. He received his early education and Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Government College of Commerce & Economics
Government College of Commerce & Economics
Government College of Commerce & Economics is one of the premier institutions of commerce education in the city of Karachi. It is located on Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, opposite Bagh-e-Jinnah and Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi....
in 1964. He read law at the Punjab University
University of the Punjab
University of the Punjab , colloquially known as Punjab University, is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The University of the Punjab is the oldest and biggest University of Pakistan. The University of the Punjab was formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its...
Law College, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
where he graduated with an LLB in 1966. In 1967 Iqbal Haider went to read law in England at the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn where he became the Vice- President of the Students Union of Lincoln's Inn.
Political career
Iqbal Haider has since early in his career been an outspoken critic of the involvement of the Army in the political affairs of Pakistan. He was a founding member of the Movement for Restoration of DemocracyMovement for Restoration of Democracy
The Movement for the Restoration of Democracy was a major alliance formed by Secular-Socialist democratic political forces aiming to end the General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law and military dictatorship in the country. It was formed in February 1981. The alliance was aimed at restoring democracy and...
("MRD"). He was the Central Acting Convener, Acting Central Secretary General and Acting Joint Secretary of the MRD. During 1981 to 1986 he was detained at least ten times by the Martial Law authorities.
He later joined the PPP where he was appointed the Advisor to the Chief Minister Sindh from January 1989 till February 1990. He was the President of the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
Karachi Division, Vice- President of Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh and member of the Central Executive Committee of the PPP.
On 22 March 2005 Iqbal Haider resigned from the Pakistan Peoples Party to pursue his human rights interests.
He is a brave and sensitive person. He has strong ideas.
Human rights
Iqbal Haider's passion is human rightsHuman rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. He has done work for victims of honour killing (such as Samia Sarwar
Samia Sarwar
Samia Sarwar was a Pakistani woman, who was shot dead in her lawyers' office in Lahore in an "honor killing". The murder was arranged by her mother, father and aunt - because of the shame they felt in her attempt to leave her children and elope with another man while seeking divorce from her...
), karo-kari
Karo-kari
In Pakistan honor killings are known locally as karo-kari . Karo-kari is part of cultural tradition in Sindh and is a compound word literally meaning "black male" and "black female , in metaphoric terms for adulterer and adulteress...
, bonded labour, missing persons
Missing persons (Pakistan)
Missing persons is the term used in Pakistan to refer to the ostensibly hundreds or thousands of people in Pakistan who have been forcefully disappeared. Reports of forced abductions by the Pakistani state first began arising in 2001, in the aftermath of the United States invasion of Afghanistan...
amongst others. He has sat in the Senate Committee on Human Rights, is one of the founding members of the HRCP and continues to pursue human rights causes in Pakistan.
His recent activities include launching a strong campaign against the government and ISI in relation to the missing persons.
A prominent practising lawyer by training and profession, Sayed lqbal Haider was born on 14 January 1945 in Agra in prepartitioned India. He migrated to Pakistan with his family and got his early education in Karachi. He earned Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Government College of Commerce & Economics, Karachi in 1964, and thereafter did his LLB from the Punjab University Law College, Lahore in 1966.
Sayed lqbal Haider is in the Law profession since June 1967 when he was first enrolled as an advocate for the subordinate courts. He has been practising law in different courts of the country, including High Courts, since 1972' and Supreme Court of Pakistan wherein he was enrolled in 1978.
In 1967, Sayed lqbal Haider went to England for higher studies in Law and was admitted in the Honourable Society of the Lincoln's Inn. As a student, he was Secretary of the Debating Society of the Punjab University Law College, Lahore, Vice-Chairman of the Cultural Society of the Punjab University Students Union, Member of the Debating Team of the Punjab University Students Union and Vice- President of the Students Union of the Lincoln's Inn, London.
Syed lqbal Haider has also been active in politics - first as a member of Pakistan Peoples Party and then that of Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi (QMA). He was President, Karachi Division QMA from December 1977 till 1982 whereafter he became Secretary General of QMA and held this position from 1983 to 1988.
Sayed lqbal Haider was one of the main organizers of the Mass Movement launched by the MRD in 1983 for removal of Martial Law and Restoration of Democracy. He held important offices of the MRD, including its Central Acting Convener, Acting Central Secretary General and Acting Joint Secretary of the MRD.
Being in the forefront of the MRD movement, he was detained repeatedly, at least ten times, by the Martial Law Authorities during 1981 to 1986. His movement from one province to other provinces of Pakistan was also prohibited from time to time by the Martial Law Authorities.
Mr. Haider rejoined Pakistan Peoples Party in 1988 and since 1990 he is President of Pakistan Peoples Party Karachi Division, Vice-President of the Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh and a member of the Central Executive Committee of the PPP. Mr. Haider is also Central Secretary Information of the Peoples' Democratic Alliance (PDA).
Sayed lqbal Haider held the office of the Advisor to the Chief Minister Sindh from January 1989 till February 1990. He has also been Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs from November 1993 to December 1994.
Sayed lqbal Haider was Vice-President of Civil Liberties Association Karachi. He is one of the founders and member of the Governing Council of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
He has also been member of the Executive Board/Committees of a number of organisations, including Pakistan Institute of International Affairs and the Sindh Red Crescent Society, and a Trustee of the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Sports Foundation. He is also a member of the Bar Associations of the Sindh and Lahore High Courts.
I Sayed Iqbal Haider is a widely travelled person and has been to the UK, US, China, Japan, Switzerland, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and a number of other countries of Asia and Europe on academic, professional, official and private errands.
He was elected as a Senator in March 1991. He is member of the Senate Standing Committees on Defence, Defence Production and Aviation and on Information and Broadcasting and on Culture, Sports and Tourism and Women Development and Youth Affairs and also on Functional Committee on Human Rights.
Sources
- http://www.hrcp-web.org/new_chairperson.cfm
- http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_21-3-2005_pg7_5
- http://www.senate.gov.pk/ShowMemberDetail.asp?MemberCode=319&CatCode=0&CatName=
- http://www.senate.gov.pk/ShowMemberDetail.asp?MemberCode=319&CatCode=0&CatName=
- http://www.dawn.com/2005/03/22/local19.htm