In this alert, we examine the allocation of financial risk and the viability of commercial concession agreements for private operators within Gulf aviation hubs in the context of the 2026 Gulf War. Disruptions to transit traffic, retail operations, and passenger volumes during periods of hostilities expose severe structural weaknesses in standard force majeure clauses, insurance covers, and sovereign safety nets that are often calibrated for peacetime conditions. These issues arise across airport retail environments, duty-free concessions, maintenance services, and hospitality frameworks, where private parties rely on fixed-rent contracts and standard insurance provisions that may not adequately respond to conflict-driven losses.

ABS & Co advised on PKR 4 billion consumer loan portfolio due diligence for SME Bank–NBP asset transfer, covering enforceability of securities, NPL risk, and banking regulatory compliance in Pakistan.

ABS & Co has continued its longstanding engagement with a leading microfinance institution during its strategic transition into a digital retail bank. This transition required a comprehensive realignment of the bank’s documentation, governance structure, and regulatory posture to comply with an entirely new licensing and operational framework.

ABS & Co has successfully advised on the development and structuring of a nano-lending product designed for deployment through a digital platform. The mandate involved the creation of a high-frequency, low-ticket credit product featuring tiered APRs linked to loan tenor and credit limits. The engagement was critical in balancing risk-based pricing with consumer protection standards and regulatory compliance within Pakistan’s rapidly evolving digital lending landscape.

ABS & Co advised Habib Rafiq Engineering (Private) Limited (“HRL”), in relation to a landmark Joint Venture Agreement executed with the Prime Institute of Health Sciences (“PIHS”). This strategic collaboration establishes a comprehensive framework for the operation of advanced healthcare facilities and the phased rollout of allied health sciences education within Capital Smart City.

ABS & Co has successfully advised on a PKR 100 million Shariah-compliant Murabaha financing facility for the procurement of raw materials. The transaction was meticulously structured as an asset-backed Islamic working capital facility, tailored to meet specific commercial requirements while ensuring full adherence to Islamic finance principles.

ABS & Co has successfully advised on the banking and financial-regulatory feasibility of a proposed “Gold Bank” model in Pakistan. This innovative mandate involved the acceptance of gold as an investable asset, the issuance of investment instruments, profit-sharing returns, and gold-backed lending. The matter was particularly significant due to the regulatory implications of using the term “bank,” the quasi-deposit-taking characteristics of the model, and the strict regulatory perimeter governing banking activities in Pakistan.

ABS & Co has successfully advised on the development and structuring of a Shariah-compliant “Musawammah” product for digital Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) lending. This mandate was designed for deployment through fintech and digital platforms, requiring a sophisticated reconciliation of Islamic financing principles with modern digital lending mechanics. The engagement was critical in ensuring alignment with SECP regulatory frameworks, consumer protection standards, and evolving BNPL regulations in Pakistan.

In this alert, we examine the allocation of risk in commercial contracts and marine insurance frameworks in the context of armed conflict affecting Gulf trade routes. Disruptions to shipping, port operations, and cargo transit during periods of hostilities expose structural weaknesses in force majeure clauses, war risk cover, and liability regimes that are often drafted for peacetime conditions. These issues arise across shipping and logistics arrangements, terminal operations, freight forwarding structures, and cross-border trade contracts, where parties rely on standard form provisions and insurance clauses that may not adequately respond to conflict-driven losses.

ABS & Co advised a leading global technology company on a strategic assessment of Pakistan’s political, regulatory, and geopolitical landscape in support of its internal government relations and long-term investment planning functions.

ABS & Co advised Habib Rafiq Engineering (Private) Limited (“HRL”) in relation to a proposed large-scale development initiative and international project within the Republic of Uzbekistan. Acting as legal counsel, our role required the structuring of a robust Letter of Intent (LOI) to facilitate the participation of a group of Korean companies within an international consortium to be led and coordinated by HRL.

As Pakistan moves toward a comprehensive digital economy, the legal framework for data privacy is undergoing a seismic shift. For organizations handling citizen data, the transition from voluntary best practices to mandatory legal obligations is now a critical business imperative. This note outlines the salient features of the pending Personal Data Protection Bill (“PDPB”), 2023 (latest published draft, May 2023), and the “Mandatory Data Protection Measures for Organizations Handling PII” issued in August 2025 by the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (“PKCERT”) (the “PKCERT Advisory”).

ABS & Co advised a foreign client in a high-stakes commercial dispute characterized by a significant history of contentious litigation. While the matter involved a substantial monetary claim and complex legal positioning, our strategic analysis identified that continued pursuit of the case through the judicial system would likely result in an additional three to five years of protracted court proceedings.

ABS & Co advised on the structuring and documentation of a PKR 520 million Shariah-compliant financing facility for the manufacture and supply of air-conditioning units, reinforcing the firm’s leading role in Islamic finance and structured financing transactions in Pakistan.

ABS & Co successfully defended the vires of SRO 45(I)/2015 dated 07.01.2015, issued under the Works of Defence Act 1903, before the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench. Several landowners had challenged the legality of the SRO, which was promulgated to ensure the security and safety of areas surrounding notified works of defence. The petitioners relied on various High Court judgments, including PLD 2008 Islamabad 37, PLD 2018 Lahore 295, and 2021 CLC 1378, to support their claims.

ABS & Co is advising the National Grid Company in connection with two regulatory review petitions arising from recent determinations affecting the interpretation and implementation of the Grid Code and related operational compliance requirements.