Nasira Iqbal

My Mother

Introduction

Nasira Iqbal (born 21 November 1940) is an eminent Pakistani jurist, law professor, social activist, and philanthropist, who served as a Judge of the Lahore High Court from 1994 to 2002. As a scholar of law and human rights, she has lectured around the world and represented Pakistan at various international forums. She was one of the first five women to be elevated as High Court Judges in Pakistan.  She is also the founding president of a civil society organization, the Concerned Citizens of Pakistan Society, has served as a member of the Pakistan Law and Justice Commission as well as a member of the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearances, is a prominent member of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, and is a former President of the Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Nasira Iqbal is the granddaughter of Maulvi Ferozuddin, a renowned businessman and philanthropist of his era, who founded the Ferozsons publishing house, industrial group, and philanthropic organization.

She was married to Dr. Javid Iqbal – an eminent intellectual, former Judge and Senator, and son of the poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal – until his death on 3 October 2015.

Degrees and Distinctions

Nasira Iqbal received the following degrees, distinctions, and awards:

• B.A. (First Position in University) from Kinnaird College Lahore in 1960.
• LL.B. (With Distinction) from University of Punjab in 1977.
• LL.M. (With Distinction) from University of Punjab in 1983.
• LL.M. from Harvard Law School (Cum Laude) in 1986.
• Diploma in Intellectual Property Laws, University of Punjab (First Position) in 1994.
• Awarded Fatima Jinnah Medal for Women’s Rights in 2006.
• Awarded Woman of the Year Star Award (Islamabad) in 2007.
• Awarded Wonder Woman Award (Karachi) in 2011.
• Awarded Sukh Chainn Women’s Day Award (Lahore) in 2012.
• Awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Distinction) by the President of Pakistan in 2019.

Legal Experience and Non-Legal Involvements

Nasira Iqbal’s legal experience and non-legal involvements are listed as follows:

• Advocate District Courts (1978).
• Advocate High Court (1980).
• Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan (1994).
• Pakistan Delegate to Human Rights Commission, Geneva (1995).
• President Lahore High Court Bar Association 2009-10
• Member of IUCN Commission for Environmental Law.
• Adjunct Professor, Quaid-e-Azam Law College, Lahore.
• Adjunct Professor, School of Law, Lahore.
• Member Executive Committee Public Interest Law Association of Pakistan (PILAP).
• Honorary Legal Advisor, International Women’s Club, Lahore and APWA, Punjab.
• Senior Partner Iqbal Law Associates, Legal and Management Consultants
• Trustee, Ferozsons Trust, Fatima Memorial System, Shadman, Lahore.
• Member, Board Of Trustees, Bhandara Foundation.
• President, Punjab Mental Health Association. Fountain House, Lahore.
• Member, Interfaith Dialogue Austria, and Global Women’s Peace Initiative.
• Member, Hamdard Majlis-e-Shoora & Punjab SOS Children’s Villages.
• Member, Syndicate, Fatima Jinnah Women’s University, Rawalpindi.
• Member, Board of Trustees, Transparency International Pakistan.
• Member, Board of Governors Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore.
• Member, Family Planning Association of Pakistan.
• Member, Board of Ajoka Theater.
• Member, Board of Trustees, Qarshi Foundation.
• Member, Board of Governors Lahore Garrison University Lahore.
• Founder, Concerned Citizens of Pakistan (CCP) (Rule of Law/Public Welfare)
• Founder, Chairperson Gulistan-e-Saida Society (Health, Education, Welfare)

Nasira Iqbal has wide-ranging national and international experience in lecturing and teaching to the following effect:

• Lectured on Women’s Rights and Development in Pakistan, Canada, USA, India, China, Kuwait, and Dubai.
• Attended International Conferences in Austria, Australia, Egypt, Bosnia, Romania, Jordan, and Iran.
• Attended Global Peace Initiatives in Geneva Norway and India.
• Lectured at National Defence University, Islamabad.
• Lectured on Women’s Empowerment, Jurists Conferences in Islamabad.
• Attended World Justice Forum in Vienna, Austria.
• Attended South Asian Women Parliamentarians Conference at the Houses of Parliament in London.
• Lectured on the Role of Women Judges in Teheran.
• Member, Interfaith Dialogue, Vienna.
• Lectured at University of Vienna, National School of Public Policy.
• Lectured at the Punjab Judicial Academy.

Nasira Iqbal has assisted in the drafting of key legislation on the following subjects:

• Rules of Business (Bye-laws) for Musalihat Anjuman, 2006.
• Women’s Protection, 2007
• Muslim Family Law Reforms and Women’s Rights to Land, 2008.
• Prevention of Harassment of Women at the Workplace, 2009.
• Domestic Violence, 2009.
• Prevention of Honour Killings, 2012.
• Prevention of Torture, 2013.

Philanthropic Work

• Established Saida Waheed Gender Initiative at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in 2015.
• Conducted comprehensive Leadership Training Program ‘I am Pakistan’ for various College Students in 2016.
• Constructed Dr. Javid Iqbal Auditorium at Lahore High Court in 2017
• Renovated and equipped Noor Medicare Hospital Gajju Matta in 2018,
• Constructed a ward in Fountain House Hospital, Farooqabad, in 2019
• Constructed a floor at the Musafir Khana of Mayo Hospital Lahore in 2019.

Phone: +9242 35762847, Fax: +9242 35870960
Email: arisan61@gmail.com
Address: H.No 61, Main Gulberg, Lahore – Pakistan