Khwaja MA Samdani (1932 – April 11, 2013) was a Pakistani judge who served on the Lahore High Court.[1][2]
Early life and education
Khwaja MA Samdani was born in 1932 in Kareem Nagar, Hyderabad Deccan, and his family migrated to Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947.[3] After completing his education, he taught at Islamia College Peshawar before joining the civil service and later transitioning to the judiciary. He also pursued an LLM at Yale University on a scholarship.[4]
Career
In 1972, he was appointed as an additional judge at the Lahore High Court.[5]
In 1974, during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's tenure as Prime Minister, anti-Ahmadi violence erupted in Pakistan.[6] Samdani chaired the Rabwah Tribunal, which investigated the violence that took place on May 29, 1974.[7] Although the full report of the tribunal was not made public, it is noted that Justice Samdani considered the Second Constitutional Amendment, which declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims, to be a form of persecution against a vulnerable minority.[8]
In a lawsuit against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he granted bail to Bhutto despite pressure from the military government led by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.[9] Samdani's decision was seen as a display of judicial independence and impartiality.[10]
In April 1980, while serving as the federal law secretary, Samdani had a confrontation with Ziaul Haq over remarks the general had made about secretaries.[11] Samdani stood his ground and refused to apologize, believing in the correctness of his actions.[12]
In 1981, Samdani was presented with a new oath containing clauses he deemed unconstitutional.[13] Rather than comply with these clauses, he chose to retire from his position.[14]
References
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures
- ^ https://dailytimes.com.pk/88259/kma-samdani-the-sufi-judge/
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures/
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures/
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures/
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures/
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures/
- ^ https://www.milligazette.com/news/1-community-news/6956-justice-samdani-pakistan-lost-one-of-its-great-treasures/
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/534522/respected-jurist-judge-who-granted-bail-to-zab-dies
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/534522/respected-jurist-judge-who-granted-bail-to-zab-dies
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/534522/respected-jurist-judge-who-granted-bail-to-zab-dies
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/534522/respected-jurist-judge-who-granted-bail-to-zab-dies
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/534522/respected-jurist-judge-who-granted-bail-to-zab-dies
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/534522/respected-jurist-judge-who-granted-bail-to-zab-dies