SAHSOL Honours Late Justice (Retd.) Fazal Karim
The Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL) hosted a special event to pay tribute to the scholarship, academic contributions, and services of Justice (Retd.) Fazal Karim — a distinguished judge, scholar, recipient of Hilal-i-Imtiaz, and an esteemed faculty member at SAHSOL (2007-19). Justice (Retd.) Fazal Karim passed away on August 6 this year.
The event drew Justice Karim's family, colleagues, former students and lawyers and retired judges from the wider legal community. Notable speakers included Mr. Justice Shahid Karim (Judge, Lahore High Court, and son of late Justice Karim), Mr. Justice Jawad Hassan (Judge, Lahore High Court), Ms. Shaharbano Raza (Gender and Inclusion Lead, Office of Accessibility and Inclusion, LUMS), and Mr. Faisal Siddiqi (Advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan).
Commencing the programme, Prof. Hiba Akbar, a student of Justice Karim and currently a faculty member at SAHSOL, emphasised the inspiring role he played at the School. Dr. Parvez Hassan (Senior Advocate, Supreme Court and Senior Partner of Hassan & Hassan Advocates Lahore) delivered opening remarks, acknowledging Justice Karim's profound impact on students, noting how he "brought maturity, experience, and wisdom" to every interaction.
Subsequent speaker sessions showcased Justice Karim's excellence in the courtroom, classroom, and academia. The Honourable Justice Jawad Hassan shared instances where he successfully drew upon Justice Karim's work for judgments and reflected on their deep personal connection. Mr. Siddiqi highlighted Justice Karim as a "pioneer of legal scholarship in Pakistan".
Ms. Raza fondly remembered Justice Fazal Karim as a dedicated instructor who went beyond teaching law, inculcating values of discipline, commitment and mutual respect to his students.
Mr. Justice Shahid Karim concluded the session by sharing his father's passion for literature, history, research, and his admiration for heroic figures. Emphasising his fulfilling years and enduring legacy, he spoke about the many persons from whom the late Justice Karim drew inspiration. The closing remarks were delivered by Dr. Sadaf Aziz, Dean, SAHSOL.