KARACHI: The former federal law minister and a senior lawyer, Khalid Anwer, passed away on Thursday at Karachi. He was around 86.

His funeral will be held today after Friday prayers at the Sultan Majid in the Defence Housing Authority. He will be laid to rest at a local graveyard in the city.

Born on Nov 4, 1938, in Delhi, Anwer obtained degrees in economics and law and was a graduate of St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, as well as a barrister-at-law from the Inner Temple, England.

He started his professional career as a lawyer in 1962 and rose to prominence quickly and also served as a federal law minister from 1997 to 1999 during Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government led by Main Mohammad Nawaz Sharif. He remained in office until the October 1999 coup led by General Pervez Musharraf which toppled the PML-N government.

He was also elected as a Senator for a term of six years.

During his tenure as federal law minister, he had made significant changes to the legal system of the country. Besides, a senior lawyer of the apex court, he was also a constitutional expert.

Anwer was a son of fourth prime minister of Pakistan Chaudhry Muhammad Ali.

Justice Munib Akhtar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan is a son-in-law of Anwer.

Initially, Anwer became a partner at A. K. Brohi & Co. and later established his own law firm Khalid Anwer & Co.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2025