Justice Rana Bhagwandas of Pakistan passes away

Islamabad — Justice Rana Bhagwandas, former judge of the Supreme Court, died of cardiac arrest in Karachi on Monday. He was 73.

One of most revered members of Pakistan’s judiciary known for integrity, independence and judicial acumen, Rana Bhagwandas became the first Hindu and the second non-Muslim to briefly serve as chief of the apex court in Pakistan. In 2002, the Sindh High Court had dismissed a challenge to his appointment to the higher judiciary on the grounds that he was a non-Muslim.

Born in Naseerabad, Larkana District in Sindh, in December 1942, Justice (retd) Bhagwandas had a postgraduate degree in Islamic Studies and was considered an expert on constitutional law.

He also worked as the Chairman of Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan.

Rana Bhagwandas’ death was widely mourned by the country’s top national leaders including President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former president Asif Zardari, Imran Khan, Altaf Hussain and others.

The federal cabinet which met here on Monday observed one minute silence and paid rich tributes to him.

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