Azam & Rai engaged by overseas investors to incorporate sports company in Pakistan

Sectors: Investment, Corporate & Sports Laws

Azam & Rai has been engaged by six overseas investors based in Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom for the incorporation of a sports company in Pakistan, which will oversee the establishment of one of the first private-sector corporate football clubs in Pakistan and will commercially promote sports in Pakistan generally.

Azam & Rai will also be providing general legal advisory as well as taxation law and intellectual property law services to the company.

Azam & Rai Partner Muhammad Asif Bhatti receives Pakistan Supreme Court license

Sector: Dispute Resolution

Azam & Rai Partner Muhammad Asif Bhatti has been enrolled as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan by the Pakistan Bar Council, which entitles him to appear before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Mr. Bhatti was previously enrolled as an Advocate of the Lower Courts in 1993 and as an Advocate of the High Courts in 1995.

With this enrollment, Mr. Bhatti joins a select band of less than 2,000 lawyers in Pakistan who are entitled to appear before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. His enrollment gives Azam & Rai the ability to directly litigate before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Mr. Bhatti is an experienced and accomplished litigator and specializes in dispute resolution.

Azam & Rai lawyers participate in "Long March" for the restoration of the Pakistani judiciary

Azam & Rai's lawyers participated in the nationwide "Long March" for the restoration of the Pakistani judiciary by travelling by road from Lahore to the capital, Islamabad, on 13 June 2008.

The call for the "Long March" was given by the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, together with all four Provincial High Court Bar Associations and 126 District Bar Associations all over Pakistan, to protest the delay in the reinstatement of almost 60 Supreme Court and High Court judges who were illegally and unconstitutionally deposed by General Pervez Musharraf on 3 November 2007 after the proclamation of emergency rule in Pakistan, which was subsequently lifted but without the reinstatement of the deposed judges.

On the night of 13/14 June 2008, more than 200,000 people, including lawyers and people from all walks of life, peacefully gathered in front of Parliament on Islamabad's Constitution Avenue to demand immediate the restoration of the deposed judiciary.

Azam & Rai drafts first Convertible Debt Agreement for private limited company in Pakistan

Sector: Corporate Laws
Azam & Rai drafted a Convertible Debt Agreement for Lahore International Medical Centre (Pvt.) Ltd. – the first of its kind for a private limited company in Pakistan.

Ruqia Ismail joins Azam & Rai as an Associate

Ruqia Ismail joined Azam & Rai as an Associate on 2 June 2008. Prior to joining Azam & Rai, Ms. Ismail worked as an Associate at Rizvi & Rizvi (Advocates, Solicitors & Corporate Consultants), Lahore and Walker Martineau Saleem (Advocates & Legal Consultants), Lahore.

Ms. Ismail received her LL.B. from the Punjab University, Lahore and is enrolled as an Advocate of the Lower Courts with the Punjab Bar Council.

Ms. Ismail has experience and expertise in banking and finance, civil, commercial, corporate and intellectual property laws.