Justice Umar Ata Bandial

Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who was born on 17the September, 1958 in Lahore, received his elementary and secondary education from different schools in Kohat, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore. He got his Senior Cambridge certificate in 1973 from St. Mary’s Academy, Rawalpindi and Higher Senior Cambridge certificate from famous Aitchison College, Lahore 1975.

He then gained his BA (Economics) degree from Columbia University, USA in 1979 followed by a Law Tripos degree from Cambridge University, UK in 1981. He also qualified as Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln’s Inn London and then enrolled as an Advocate of the Lahore High Court in 1982. Some years later, he was enrolled as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial established a decent law practice in commercial, banking, tax and property law matters. He got the opportunity of assisting and working with famous counsels including Aitzaz Ahsan Advocate, Khalid Anwer Advocate and Fakharuddin G. Ebrahim Advocate in a number of commercial and constitutional cases. In the last few years of his law practice before elevation, Justice Umar Ata Bandial handled some important international commercial arbitration matters before foreign arbitral tribunals in London and Paris involving the Rupali Polyester versus Hitachi dispute, the Hubco dispute, the Ghazi Barotha construction dispute and the Bayinder NHA dispute.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial was elevated to the Bench on 04/12/2004. He declined oath under PCO in November, 2007 but was restored as a judge of the Lahore High Court as a result of the lawyers and civil society movement for restoration of the Judiciary and constitutional rule in the country.

During his career as a Judge, Justice Umar Ata Bandial has rendered judgments on a number of important issues.  In respect of constitutional mandates, he affirmed the independence of the Chief Election Commissioner in a Division Bench judgment. The sanctity of the Presidential office as a symbol of the unity of the Federation requiring its detachment from political activity was iterated in case reported as Pakistan Lawyers Forum versus Federation of Pakistan.

He also taught at the Punjab University Law College for four years and remained a member of its Graduate Studies Committee.