Networking Dinner 17th February 2010
Mr Shaukat Pirzada, Secretary Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan
The Association of Muslim Lawyers (UK) (AML) held its first event of 2010, a Networking Dinner with Guest Speaker Mr Shaukat Pirzada, Secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan on 17th February 2010 at the auspicious and central location of Jam Makam in Pall Mall, London.
The President of the AML, set out for the members and guests the important role played by the organisation since 2007 in working with the Law Society and the Bar Council in the UK in calling for the release of the judges and the lawyers in Pakistan and for the reinstatement of the Rule of the Law, which was done by launching an online petition which gathered nearly 5000 signatures of lawyers at an international level, a letter of support of the Pakistani lawyers and judiciary addressed to the Prime Minister of the UK to take action was hand delivered to Downing Street as well as attempts at meeting with the High Commissioner and attending demonstrations.
Mr Pirzada then addressed the members with a heartfelt sense of gratitude from the Bar of the support by the AML and the Law Society and the Bar Council and pointed out that it was the strongest level of support they had received. Mr Pirzada then went to set out in acute detail, the events as they unfolded in 2007 which resulted in many of the guests appreciating the difficulties and hardship many members of the Bar in Pakistan experienced and how the positive results achieved made every step taken in the pursuit of justice, every tear shed and every hardship endured – the most worthwhile experience of their lives. The delivery was very passionate and emotional, and demonstrated the change it is possible to achieve when people are united in a just cause.