Profile: Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim
Justice (retired) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim – File photo
Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim was, on Monday, appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) following a parliamentary consensus. The CEC was earlier appointed by the president, but under Article 213 of the Constitution, the prime minister in consultation with the opposition leader in the National Assembly is required to forward three names to the parliamentary committee for confirmation of one of them.
Justice (retired) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim is an eminent Pakistani jurist, constitutional expert, senior advocate Supreme Court, former Federal Law Minister, former Attorney General of Pakistan, former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and former Governor of Sindh. He was born on February 12, 1928 in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat. Ebrahim attended the Gujrat Vidyapith and received an undergraduate degree in law in 1949. He also studied courses based on philosophy and attended lectures given by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. It is believed that his advocacy for non-violence and peace comes from Gandhi’s teachings.
In the year 1950, Ebrahim migrated to Pakistan and attended Sindh Muslim College. He received LLM degree and an honorary Juris Doctor in 1960 and later established his own law firm by the name of Fakhruddin G Ebrahim & Company.
Ebrahim also served as the Attorney General of Pakistan during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s regime and later as the Governor of Sindh. In the March of 1981, he was amongst the very few judges who refused to take oath under Provincial Constitutional Order (PCO) drafted by General Zia-ul-Haq, along with Justice S. Anwarul Haq, Justice Maulvi Mushtaq Hussain and Justice Dorab Patel. The PCO not only negated the independence of the judiciary but also prolonged martial law by nullifying the effect of a judgment giving General Zia regime’s limited recognition.
The establishment of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee in 1989 remains one of Ebrahim’s prolific achievements.
In 1996, Ebrahim served as law minister in the caretaker cabinet of President Farooq Leghari, following the dismissal of the government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
It is believed that Ebrahim always possessed positive sentiments for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and has announced various verdicts in the favour of Pakistani sportsman including Saleem Malik, Shoaib Akhtar and Muhammad Asif.
he is an ex governer and fedral cabinat member of ppp cant he also be doubted that he cna be baised towards a party as linked to his past experiences. Secondly he is a person of greta honor so now will see his real test of nerves
I believe that Justice (R) Ebrahim has the honesty and integrity for the appointment of CEC, but I believe that his age will play a factor in how things turn out. I personally believe that the government should have appointed someone like Rana Bhagwandas as CEC who has the same qualities as Mr. Ebrahim and can cope with the physical and mental pressures during the election. I am not criticizing Mr. Ebrahim in anyway but someone younger should have been appointed CEC.
Thanks to Almighty Allah, we got some one who can lead us to fair n free elections… Salute the dignity of Mr. Ebrahim.
Institutions in Pakistan needs sincere and honest persons.Ebrahin is one of the best figure in Pakistani history .
But it is alarming for the rest that we are losing honest people with great speed.As our universities are destroying education we need to improve education quality…..
Conducting the election especially in Pakistan is not any easy job. I am not questioning his honesty or impartiality here, but looking at Pakistan’s geographical landscape how an 85 year old can justify a fair election? Just counting of votes doesn’t mean a fair election. Will he be able to ask the President to resign before elections? Will he be able to establish an impartial caretaker setup? Will he be able to limit the influence of existing bureaucracy?
Has the writer properly verified the names of the judges who did not take oath under Zia's PCO? For one, what about Justrice Haleem?
Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim is the brother of still a greater person Fida Husein G. Ebrahim who was an excellent Architecture as Fakhru Bhai has been an excellent lawyer. Both of them belong to a very great family of Ahmadabad , a very respectable one. Fida sahib has expired but his footprints are still there, Hamid his son. Fakhruddin Sahib is the character replica of Fida Sahib.
Mark my words:If the opposition lose the election, the honest man Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim. will be blamed for the rest of his life.
The few good people can change the national Ideology, and I believe this is a first step, and certainly Pakistan is not of that poor where we lose our hope because we still have a person like Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim , we may have many more like him, we just need to explore, any way I like the concensus on the issue of CEC. God bless us all.