Biography

Former Chief Justice of Pakistan (Retired: December 31, 2003)

Early Life and Education

Born in 1937 in Lahore, British India (now Pakistan), Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmad was the eldest child in a family rooted in law and public service. His father, Sheikh Manzoor Ahmad, began his legal career in Quetta and later served as Legal Adviser to the Municipal Committee of Quetta. After his father’s early death in 1952, Sheikh Riaz completed his matriculation from Islamia High School, Quetta the same year.

He pursued his intermediate studies (FSc) at Government College Quetta, influenced by his grandfather, Sheikh Allah Bux, a medical practitioner in Jammu and Kashmir. He later moved to Lahore for higher education, studying at Forman Christian College and Government College, Lahore, from where he graduated in 1958. In 1960, he earned his LL.B. from Punjab University Law College and began practicing law at the Lahore District Courts.

Legal and Academic Career

  • Enrolled as pleader: 16 August 1960

Justice Riaz Ahmad practiced law for 14 years, serving as legal advisor to institutions like the Standard Chartered Bank, Family Planning Department (West Pakistan), University of the Punjab, WAPDA, and several nationalized industries. In 1963, he was added to the State list to represent the Province of West Pakistan in constitutional, civil, and criminal matters in the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

From 1968 to 1974, he was a part-time lecturer at the Punjab University Law College. In January 1974, he was appointed Assistant Advocate General, Punjab. From 1974 to 1980, he practiced almost exclusively before the Supreme Court, representing Punjab and other provinces in key constitutional cases.

In May 1980, he was promoted to Advocate General, Punjab, serving until March 1984. During this time, he was Ex-officio Chairman of the Punjab Bar Council.

Judicial Career

  • Judge, Lahore High Court: Appointed March 3, 1984
    • Served at Bahawalpur Bench (1985–86)
    • Chaired tribunal investigating Badshahi Mosque sectarian clash
    • Member of Punjab University Law College Committee
    • Chairman, Board of Governors, Quaid-e-Azam Law College
    • Oversaw civil, criminal, and constitutional cases

He served on multiple academic and administrative bodies, including:

  • Executive Council, Allama Iqbal Open University
  • Syndicate, Agriculture University Faisalabad
  • Board of Governors, Government College Lahore
  • Syndicate, Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad

In 1993, he became a Member of the Election Commission of Pakistan, overseeing that year’s general elections.

National Service and Supreme Court Tenure

In 1995, he was appointed Federal Secretary for Law, Justice, and Human Rights by PM Benazir Bhutto. The same year, he was elevated as an ad-hoc Judge of the Supreme Court and later confirmed as a permanent judge in November 1997.

He participated in the Judicial Commission investigating the 1988 C-130 crash that killed General Zia-ul-Haq. The commission reported its findings in 1997.

Chief Justice of Pakistan

On February 1, 2002, he was appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan, serving until his retirement on December 31, 2003.

Landmark Case: Riba (Interest) Judgment

Justice Riaz Ahmad authored a landmark verdict in the Riba case, where the court differentiated modern banking interest from exploitative usury prohibited in Islam. The ruling significantly impacted Pakistan’s debate on Islamic finance and modern banking systems.

He was also Ex-officio Patron of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Halifax, Canada.

Timeline: Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmed's Career

  • 1937 – Born in Lahore, British India (later Pakistan)
  • 1952 – Matriculated from Islamia High School, Quetta
  • 1955 – Completed FSc from Government College, Quetta
  • 1958 – Graduated from Forman Christian College / Government College, Lahore
  • 1960 – Earned LLB from Punjab University Law College; began law practice in Lahore District Courts
  • 1968–1974 – Part-time Lecturer, University Law College, Lahore
  • 1974 – Appointed Assistant Advocate General, Punjab
    — Transferred to Rawalpindi to represent Punjab in Supreme Court
    — Represented multiple provinces in absence of formal provincial panels
  • 1980 – Appointed Advocate General, Punjab
    — Returned to Lahore to assume AG responsibilities
  • March 1984 – Elevated as Judge, Lahore High Court
    — Oath administered by Justice Javed Iqbal
    — Appointed one-member commission to investigate sectarian clash at Badshahi Mosque
  • 1985–1986 – Posted to Bahawalpur Bench of Lahore High Court
  • 1986 onwards – Returned to Lahore High Court; adjudicated criminal, civil, and constitutional cases
  • 1993 – Served as Member, Election Commission of Pakistan
    — Oversaw General Elections of 1993
  • 1995–1997 – Appointed Federal Secretary, Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs by PM Benazir Bhutto
  • 1997 – Appointed Chief Justice, Lahore High Court
    — Shortly afterward elevated to Supreme Court as Permanent Judge
  • 1997 – Participated in tribunal investigating Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s 1988 plane crash
    — Final report submitted in same year
  • 2002–2004 – Appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan
    — Delivered major rulings including the landmark Riba case
  • 2004 – Retired from the Supreme Court of Pakistan