Shahrukh Iftikhar

Associate Partner | Islamabad

Barrister Shahrukh Iftikhar is an Associate Partner and heads the Corporate and Commercial Practice of the firm’s Islamabad office.

Barrister Shahrukh Iftikhar has been actively involved in advising different entities in relation to corporate compliances, issues in relation to employee benefits and retention, setting up trusts funds, advising international conglomerates in relation to anti-dumping investigations initiated by the State of Pakistan, advice in relation to registration of forms of intellectual property with the IPO, negotiation of technological and software enhancement agreements on behalf of private clientele, management of non-banking finance companies in relation to portfolio management and advice in relation to CVAS licensing regime under relevant PTA laws.

He is also acclaimed for his work with the Ministry of Commerce with the drafting of the Trade Dispute Resolution Act and framing of the Rules thereunder. Further he has has also been involved in drafting amendment laws for regulatory bodies; corporate governance and compliance relating to the registration and incorporation of companies in Pakistan; procurement and construction contracts for project companies setting up power plants in Pakistan; concession documents pertaining to oil and gas companies; corporate restructuring for transactions and proceedings before the Competition Commission.

He has also been actively involved in advising MNO’s in relation to general and specific authorizations with respect to access and interconnection, allocation of spectrum by FAB, active and passive infrastructure, tariff, cybersecurity, interception, portability, terms and conditions of the license and type approval.

Key Highlights

Corporate Advisory - Advised numerous private and public clients on all aspects in relation to incorporations of their companies in Pakistan including but not limited to registration of branch offices of foreign companies in Pakistan and all regulatory authorities issues relating to employees, suppliers, receivables, income tax, sales tax, customs, property, intellectual property, and other corporate compliances issues.
M&A - Undertook the restructuring of various multinational and local corporate groups in Pakistan. Have drafted shareholders and share purchase agreements and all general corporate commercial agreements as required. Advised clients in relation to inter alia corporate strategy, assisting transition companies and structuring the merger and/or acquisition.
Competition - Have advised and represented local and foreign clients in competition laws related matters that have arisen as a consequence of the promulgation of the Competition Act 2010. Especially in respect of M&A transactions, have sought and responded to the pre-merger approvals for acquisitions of substantial equity stake and other similar transactions.
Int'l Trade & Remedial Law - Advised international clients about their rights and obligations in light of Pakistan’s trade defense laws. Drafted applications for initiation of Anti-Dumping proceedings on behalf of the Domestic Industry. Drafted written submission in relations to the preliminary and final determinations issued by the National Tariff Commission (Pakistan’s trade regulatory body). Drafted appeals and detailed submissions for clients and have successfully made representations to the Appellate Tribunal of the National Tariff Commission at hearings and during the course of the investigation. Drafted the Trade Dispute Resolution Act and framing of the rules thereunder.
Telecommunication - Has assisted in advising clients such as Telenor, Ufone, Google, Facebook, Vimpelcom, Oneweb, Worldbank, on all corporate and regulatory matters. Has been involved in advising clients in relation to value added services, use of terminal equipment, type approval and confidentiality in relation to telecommunication equipment and providing telecommunication services. Further, advised client’s vis-à-vis supply, installation, testing, commissioning, implementation of telecommunication agreements. Have also advised and assisted clients in obtaining all types of telecommunication license (including but not limited to Class VAS, Telecommunication Infrastructure (Tower) Provider License, Telecommunication Infrastructure Provider License, etc.) from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.Actively involved in advising MNO’s in relation to general and specific authorizations with respect to access and interconnection, allocation of spectrum by FAB, active and passive infrastructure, tariff, cybersecurity, interception, portability and CVAS license obligations.
Litigation - Acted for and on behalf of clients for recovery of finances, also represented defendants in civil suits before the Civil Courts of Pakistan. Have also been involved in drafting writ petitions, intervention applications & stay applications.
Labor - Have advised multi and trans-national entities in relation to obligations related to staff that is hired in a managerial and or clerical capacity. More specially, have drawn up employee handbooks and vetted employment contracts in relation to provisions related to bonuses, gratuity, provident fund, compensation in event of temporary or permanent disability and the overall regime in Pakistan.
Construction - Have been advising in the wide ranging areas of the construction industry including but not limited to different forms of construction contracts to contract management and dispute resolution (ADR) including arbitrations (domestic and international) and review of FIDIC form of contracts.
Non-Profit Organizations - Participated in social reform projects which involved advice and facilitation in all aspects of review and reform of the legislative, financial, administrative and co-coordinative reform of the concerned sectors. Involved in representation of foreign donor agencies, trusts and endowment funds, which entailed provision of substantive advice and assistance with respect to project, labour, administrative, licensing, property, and other legal concerns arising in the context of their presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Areas of FOCUS

EDUCATION

ADMISSIONS

About ABS & Co.

With over 30 years of experience and a team of 40 lawyers spread over two different offices, Ahmer Bilal Soofi & Co. is one of the largest and most experienced law firms in the country. The firm provides a broad range of legal services to its clients, ranging from corporate advisory and transactional matters to dispute resolution and international arbitration.