Justice Agha Rafiq Ahmed

Justice Dr. Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan was born to Agha Mohammad Anwer Khan, a landlord and prominent figure of Sindh, on 23 August 1949 in Garhi Yasin in District Shikarpur. He is also the son-in-law of Justice Mushtak Ali Kazi, who was a Judge of High Court of Sindh and Balochistan.

Agha Rafiq Ahmed received his early education from D.C. High School Garhi Yasin and graduated from C&S Government College, Shikarpur. Subsequently he graduated in Law from the University of Sindh in 1971.

Justice Agha was enrolled as a Member of the Sindh Bar Council in 1972. He then joined Sindh Judicial Services as Civil Judge and First Class Magistrate in 1973 through competitive examination of the Sindh Public Service Commission. He was promoted as Senior Civil Judge and Assistant Sessions Judge in 1978, and subsequently as Additional District & Sessions Judge in 1983.

In 1985, he was appointed as Secretary, Sindh Legislative Assembly. During this period, he attended a Shariah training Course at International Islamic University in Islamabad. He was appointed as Director Administration and Legal Services of the Pakistan International Airlines in 1989.

Reverting to his judicial career, he was promoted as District and Sessions Judge in May, 1990. He also held the position of Additional Secretary (Regulations) in Services and General Administration Department of the Government of Sindh. He assumed the charge of Law Secretary to the Government of Sindh in 1994, and was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court of Sindh in 1995 and confirmed as a Judge of the same court in 1996.

However, he reverted to the Sindh Judiciary after a decision of famous Al-Jehad Trust case and was posted as District and Sessions Judge in various districts of Sindh from 1997 to 2007. He was again elevated as Additional Judge of the Sindh High Court on 14 December 2007.

In 2008, he was appointed as Secretary to the Government of Pakistan, Law and Justice Division. He was again confirmed as a permanent Judge of the Sindh High Court during December 2008 retaining his original seniority from 1995. In June 2009, he was elevated as Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) of Pakistan on 5 June 2009.

Justice Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan participated in Training Course on Judicial Ethics organised by Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA), London in June 2009. Also, he visited Morocco in 2010 after an official invitation and met the Chief Justice of Morocco and Minister of Law & Justice. Justice Agha once again visited Morocco in September 2011 to attend the International Judicial Conference of Chief Justices of Arabic Countries, and represent Pakistan.

In June 2012, he visited Qatar on the invitation of the Chief Justice of Qatar, Mr Masoud Al Ameeri. Also, he met the Emir of Qatar, H.H Shaikh Hammad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and discussed about the bilateral ties to strengthen the relationship of both the countries. In February 2013, Justice Agha Rafiq visited Oman with his 5-member delegation at the invitation of Chief Justice Dr Ishaq bin Ahmed Al Busaidi of Oman. Justice Agha also met the Deputy Prime Minister H.H. Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said and discussed bilateral ties and other issues.

As Justice Agha invited the Chief Justices of Qatar, Oman, Sudan, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco to Pakistan. All of them visited Pakistan during March, April, and May 2012. In February 2013, the Chief Justice of Libya, Justice Kamal B. A. Dhan visited Pakistan and strengthened the judicial ties between Libya and Pakistan. In June 2013, Justice Sidi Yahefdhou, Chief Justice of Mauritania also visited Pakistan.

Justice Agha Rafiq also remained the Chairman of the Jail Committee of Pakistan and Senior Member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan, Advisory Board of the Al-Mizan Foundation, Administration Committee of Al-Mizan Foundation, and the Board of Governors, Trustees, and Selection Board of the International Islamic University, Islamabad and also Senior Member of Allama Iqbal Open University of Pakistan.

Justice Dr. Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan was awarded the Doctorate of Law Degree by the University of Sindh. In June 2014, Justice Dr. Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan was appointed as the Chairman Sindh Public Service Commission.