RENOWNED jurist and former Law Minister Syed Muhammad Zafar, popularly known as SM Zafar, passed away at the age of 93 after a protracted illness. President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Anwal-ul-Kakar have reflected feelings of the nation in their separate messages of condolence, eulogizing his services as a lawyer, law minister, senator and seasoned politicians.
SM Zafar was a man of principles and a genuine patriot, who dedicated his entire life to the cause of the country. In a country like Pakistan where principles are frequently compromised for the sake of personal and group interests, he always sided with the truth and tried his level best to bring sanity to the national politics. Born on 6 Dec 1930, in Rangoon, Burma, Zafar completed his matric from Shakar Garh, intermediate from Government College Lahore, and graduated in law from Punjab University. He was also awarded a doctorate degree by the PU. Zafar had served as federal minister for law at a young age of 35 in Gen Ayub Khan’s last cabinet. He had also served as the General Secretary of the Muslim League for many years. The veteran lawyer had also served as a senator as part of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) before announcing his retirement from politics in 2018. Throughout his legal career, he won noteworthy cases on both the national and international stages and wrote many books including Jab Tarikh Dohrati Hai, Be a Competent Lawyer, Mery mashoor muqadmay, Dictator Kon? Pakistan Banam Corruption, Dialogue on the Political Chess Board and others. He also had to his credit the production of a standard book on statutes, which serves as a good source for the bench and the bar to understand the spirit of the law. SM Zafar also urged the judiciary to use Islamic jurisprudence in their decisions. He was indeed a versatile personality and in his death the country has lost a prominent leader, who was widely and frequently consulted during times of crises. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
