Legal Memo on Pakistan’s Elections Act 2017 and Election Petitions
The Pakistan Elections Act 2017 is an important piece of legislation that governs the conduct of elections in Pakistan. It was passed by the Parliament of Pakistan in 2017. The Act repealed several previous electoral laws, including the Representation of the People Act, 1976, and the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002. The main purpose […]
Sale and Purchase of Real Estate in Pakistan
Buying and Selling Property in Pakistan The principal law governing buying and selling of immovable property, or land, in Pakistan is the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (the “Act”). However, some rights in immovable property may be acquired, under other laws, through easements and licenses. Land may be acquired, though only for public purposes or, […]
Complaint through Special Attorney maintainable, IHC declares
In an important development for overseas Pakistanis, the Islamabad High Court has ruled that a complaint under the Illegal Dispossession Act 2005 filed through a special attorney is maintainable. The Sessions Judge-III, Islamabad (East) had previously dismissed a complaint filed through a special attorney on the grounds that a valid complaint under the Illegal Dispossession […]
Foreign Direct Investments in Pakistan
We are pleased to announce that Sarjeel Mowahid and Ahmed Reza Mirza from our team wrote the Pakistan chapter for Lexology‘s Foreign Investment Review providing a detailed background to the legal and regulatory framework governing foreign investments in the country.
Pharma Industry and Covid-19
COVID-19’s outbreak has called for many industries to immediately change their approach towards the Pandemic. The industry most severely affected is the pharmaceutical industry and in lieu of this Barrister Shahrukh Iftikhar and his team at ABS & Co, have drawn up this alert outlining the influence of COVID-19 on medicine and therapeutic drugs. The […]
LHC allows sale of mortgaged property without court intervention
In a significant development for the banking sector, a five-member bench of the Lahore High Court has dismissed a set of petitions challenging the constitutionality of section 15 of the Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finance) Ordinance 2001. Banks are now entitled to sell mortgaged property without the intervention of the court and recover their debt(s) […]
Engineer’s failure to give a decision under FIDIC and the contractor’s right to invoke arbitration
A common problem that arises in construction contracts is the Engineer’s failure to give his determination or decision within the time stipulated in the contract. Under FIDIC’s 1999 Red Book, a contractor can file a claim under Sub-Clause 20.1 of the GCC for extension of time and/or additional payment. In Pakistan, contractors are often faced […]
Pakistan’s compliance with FATF
This note summarizes some of the key changes being made to the legal and regulatory framework as part of the FATF Bills.
Changes to Public Procurement Law (PPRA)
On May 15, 2020 the government notified major changes to the Public Procurement Rules (PPRA) 2004 by introducing new concepts such as E-procurement, Framework Agreements and Unsolicited Proposals. This note summaries some of these changes.
SBP’s measures for Covid-19
This client alert provides a brief overview of the steps taken by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to dampen the effect of the economic dislocation(s) caused by COVID-19. This includes relief for businesses not just in the manufacturing sector but also those in construction, logistics, FMCG, tourism and automobile sectors. This note summaries some […]
