Maqbool Baqar

Maqbool Baqar
مقبول باقر
Chief Minister of Sindh
Caretaker
In office
17 August 2023 – 27 February 2024
GovernorKamran Tessori
Preceded bySyed Murad Ali Shah
Succeeded bySyed Murad Ali Shah
Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
In office
17 February 2015 – 4 April 2022
Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court
In office
20 September 2013 – 17 February 2015
Preceded byMushir Alam
Succeeded byFaisal Arab
Justice of the Sindh High Court
In office
26 August 2002 – 17 February 2015
Personal details
Born (1957-04-05) 5 April 1957 (age 67)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Alma materUniversity of Karachi

Maqbool Baqar (Urdu: مقبول باقر) is a Pakistani jurist who has served as the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court and as a justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He is the former the Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh who served in this position from 17 August 2023 till 27 February 2024.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

He was born on 5 April 1957 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. He finished his LLB from the University of Karachi in 1979.[4]

Judicial career

He began his judicial career as an advocate in the Sindh High Court (SHC) in May 1981. He was elevated as an Additional Justice of the SHC on 26 August 2002 and was confirmed as a Justice of the SHC on 26 August 2003. He was appointed as the Chief Justice of the SHC on 20 September 2013 after the retirement of the previous Chief Justice, Mushir Alam. Due to his judgements in terrorism cases, Baqar was targeted by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a banned terrorist group, in a bomb explosion on 26 June 2013. Due to injuries suffered in the attack, he had to go through months of rehabilitative surgery. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 17 February 2015.[4][1][5]

In the Supreme Court, Baqar wrote many important judgements. One of these judgements was the one for the case of Asif Ali Zardari vs. National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which held that NAB had exceeded its powers in its investigation of former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. He also wrote the dissenting note in the case of Qazi Faez Isa vs. Federation of Pakistan, where he held that the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa was politically motivated.[6]

He retired from the Supreme Court on 4 April 2022 and became a visiting professor at the University of Karachi.[4]

On 19 July 2024, his name was to be considered by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan for an appointment as an ad-hoc judge of the Supreme Court. However, on 18 July, he formally refused the offer, citing personal and domestic reasons.[7][8]

Later career

On 14 August 2023, Murad Ali Shah, the outgoing Chief Minister of Sindh, and Rana Ansar, the outgoing Leader of the Opposition, both agreed to propose Baqar's name for the position of Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh.[3] He took oath on 17 August 2023.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Welcome to High Court of Sindh". www.sindhhighcourt.gov.pk. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Mr. Justice Maqbool Baqar". Supreme Court of Pakistan. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b Ali, Imtiaz (15 August 2023). "PPP, MQM-P agree on ex-SC judge Maqbool Baqar's name for Sindh interim CM". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Hassan, Qazi (14 August 2023). "Justice (r) Maqbool Baqar nominated as eighth interim Sindh CM". Samaa. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Interim CM-designate: Who is Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar?". Geo.tv. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Two judges unveil dissenting notes in Justice Isa case". The Express Tribune. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  7. ^ Iqbal, Nasir (16 July 2024). "SC mulling appointment of retired judges to clear backlog". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Another judge Justice Maqbool Baqar turned down SC ad-hoc offer". The Express Tribune. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Sindh governor administers oath to Interim CM Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar". Geo.tv. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.