ABS & Co recently represented NBP in a writ petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), where the firm successfully defended the Bank’s position. The Court once again held that NBP employees are not government or civil servants and therefore cannot be described as “Government Officers” on their passports.
Our November 2025 legal update reviews recent legislative and judicial developments across Pakistan, including the Civil Servants Amendment Act 2025 and the Lahore High Court’s decision in SNGPL v. Waseem Majid Malik. The update also outlines the constitutional framework governing writ jurisdiction and its distinction from remedies available under the Companies Act 2017.
ABS & Co has advised the Program Management Implementation Unit (PMIU) and the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) on the implementation of the World Bank funded Punjab Affordable Housing Program (PAHP).
ABS & Co has examined the growing regulatory concern surrounding the use of petroleum legislation to govern synthetic chemicals and petrochemical inputs used across Pakistan’s industrial sector. As Pakistan works toward economic revival, the correct and consistent application of laws, policies and treaty commitments is critical. However, the expanding reach of petroleum laws into areas traditionally regulated by chemical-specific frameworks has created uncertainty for manufacturers and importers.
ABS & Co played an instrumental role in preparing the preliminary draft of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Eco-Tourism Rules, 2025, a first-of-its-kind framework aligning Pakistan’s tourism sector with global sustainability standards.
ABS & Co recently advised and represented an international client, based in Hong Kong, in a complex cross-border commercial dispute arising in Pakistan. The matter involved contested payment obligations where traditional litigation avenues risked being both protracted and commercially disruptive. The client entrusted ABS & Co with safeguarding its financial interests while ensuring a timely and commercially efficient resolution.
ABS & Co successfully represented KTC before the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR), Peshawar Bench, in multiple connected appeals challenging substantial tax assessments imposed under Section 122 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The firm’s tax litigation team demonstrated that the assessment proceedings suffered from procedural and legal infirmities, including the absence of recorded reasons, lack of opportunity of hearing, and non-speaking orders. Upon considering the submissions and documentary evidence, the Tribunal set aside the impugned assessment orders, vacating tax liabilities exceeding PKR 3 billion.
Our October 2025 legal update highlights recent legislative and judicial developments across Pakistan, including an overview of the Pakistan Land Port Authority Act, 2025 and the Sindh High Court’s decision in Pakistan State Oil Company Limited v. M/s Gillani (Pvt.) Ltd.
The Finance Act 2025 has revised the rate of withholding tax on services under section 153(1)(b) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. Although this is a fiscal amendment, it has practical implications for long-term commercial agreements, particularly in the power and infrastructure sectors where Change in Law provisions are an essential part of contractual risk allocation. The Finance Act provides a useful example of how such provisions are applied in practice.
ABS & Co has drafted the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA) Procurement Regulations 2024, marking a historic milestone in Pakistan’s public procurement landscape. These regulations, modelled on the UNCITRAL Model Law on Public Procurement, represent the first time that any public procurement agency has used UNCITRAL’s globally recognized model law as the foundation for its public procurement framework.
We are pleased to share that Manahil Gilani, Anza Mahmood and Khawaja Saram have been promoted to Senior Associates.
Manahil has been part of the firm for almost four years having graduated from the Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School Of Law, LUMS in 2021. Anza did his law from the University of London in 2020 and re-joined the firm after being called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 2024. Saram graduated from the University of London and completed his LLM from the University of Law in 2020 before joining ABS in same year.
Ahmer Bilal Soofi, Founding and Managing Partner of ABS & Co, has been re-elected to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Court of Arbitration. Ahmer will serve for a three-year term from 2024 to 2027.
ABS & Co proudly announces the launch of its dedicated Public International Law Practice. This new venture, headed by Ahmer Bilal Soofi, assembles a team of preeminent legal practitioners and scholars with a passion for public international law and strategy. The practice will provide comprehensive legal services to clients navigating the complexities of the global legal landscape.
We’ve advised on the launch of Pakistan’s latest communication satellite PAKSAT MM1.
ABS & Co’s lead by Amna Warsi and Ayasha Warsi, who lead the practice group on aviation law, have successfully advised the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on the launch of Pakistan’s latest communicate satellite PAKSAT MM1. This is the second satellite launched by Pakistan.
Majid Bashir, partner at ABS & Co’s Islamabad office, has been elected as the new president of the Islamabad Tennis Association.
The meeting of the association was held under the chairmanship of President & Chairman, Tariq Mehmood Murtaza. Majid Bashir was elected as the new president for his outstanding services and leadership role.
Founding Partner of ABS & Co, Ahmer Bilal Soofi, spoke at a seminar titled “The Qur’anic Covenant on Alternative Dispute Resolution” during the Riyadh International Disputes Week as part of the series organized by Al-Barak Forum.
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