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 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 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 and Co advised the Orient Group of Companies on a comprehensive internal restructuring implemented through a composite Scheme of Arrangement under sections 279 to 283 of the Companies Act, 2017. The mandate involved structuring and documenting multi entity share swaps, buyback and cancellation of shares, division and vesting of movable and immovable assets, and the consolidation and transfer of trademark ownership into a dedicated holding company within the group.
ABS & Co is pleased to announce the promotion of Khadeeja Ahmad to the position of Senior Associate. Khadeeja Ahmad has been associated with the firm since the commencement of her professional career and has consistently demonstrated strong legal acumen, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. She has worked extensively on arbitration, projects, and energy related matters, contributing to complex assignments and key client engagements. Her work has also been recognised by Legal 500, where she has been recommended as a Leading Associate.
ABS & Co has once again been recognised in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2026 rankings, with multiple practice areas securing prominent positions. The results reflect the firm’s continued involvement in complex and high-value matters across transactional, regulatory, and contentious work, as well as the growing market visibility of its lawyers. For clarity, the tiers referenced in this article correspond exactly to the Legal 500’s Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 classifications.
ABS & Co is pleased to announce its continued recognition in the Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2026, where the firm has been highly ranked across multiple key practice areas in Pakistan. These rankings reflect the firm’s strong market reputation, depth of expertise, and consistent delivery of high-quality legal services across both contentious and non-contentious matters.
In this alert, we examine recurring challenges in pre-bid preparation and clarification processes in public procurements in Pakistan. Public procurements in Pakistan are increasingly structured around comprehensive RFP and tender packages that integrate technical specifications, qualification criteria, prescribed forms, and draft contracts into a single, interdependent framework. This approach is now common across public private partnerships, infrastructure concessions, energy projects, transport and aviation procurements, urban development schemes, strategic joint ventures, and privatisation-related transactions.
ABS & Co has advised a foreign enterprise on its incorporation and comprehensive legal structuring in Pakistan. The mandate encompassed end to end corporate and regulatory structuring, including incorporation before the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, security clearances from the Ministry of Interior, permissions from the Board of Investment, and the complete State Bank of Pakistan share registration process for foreign equity investment.
ABS & Co has advised Future Developments Holdings Pvt Ltd on a PKR 1 billion land transaction within the Capital Smart City’s Special Technology Zone, a zone licensed by the Special Technology Zones Authority. The firm facilitated the structuring and execution of a strategic tripartite arrangement between Future Developments Holdings Pvt Ltd, FDH Tech Park, and the investor, enabling the acquisition of land designated for a state-of-the-art data centre within the Capital Smart City.
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