Shahid Hamid a surprise winner following SC verdict

The underdog lawyer successfully defended his clients Maryam Nawaz, Capt Safdar and Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Shahid Hamid, who was regarded as an underdog during the Panamagate case proceedings, has emerged as a winner from among the Sharif family’s legal wizards as nothing untoward about his clients emerged in the Supreme Court’s majority verdict.

Sharif family’s legal team was assisted by three counsels – Makhdoom Ali Khan, Shahid Hamid and Salman Akram Raja. Shahid Hamid represented Maryam Nawaz, Captain Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the case.

The Sharif family spent nearly Rs150 million in lawyers’ fees and other expenses during the case, sources said. However, Shahid Hamid was among three lawyers, who charged minimal fees from the ruling family.



According to sources, the ruling family had to pay Salman Akram Raja, the counsel for the PM’s sons, extra when he contended that he deserved more because he could not appear in other cases because of his engagement in the Panamagate case.

Hamid faced severe criticism by Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) lawyers during the hearing. Even senior party leaders accused him of hushing up the whole defence line-up representing the Sharif family. In view of media reports, sources said that a few members of the Sharif family were also annoyed with him.

According to the PML-N’s initial legal strategy, Ishaq Dar had to engage an independent counsel in the case because of conflict of interest. Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) had requested the Supreme Court to disqualify Ishaq Dar on charges of money laundering.

However, on Dar’s request, Hamid eagerly took up his case along with two other respondents. But he was harshly criticised by PML- N leaders as well as the media when he argued on behalf of Dar on January 27.


As soon as he presented Dar’s case, the case took a new turn when the Supreme Court asked NAB to submit details of the 17-year-old Hudabiya Paper Mills case against the Sharif family involving Rs1.2 billion.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing the Sharif family severely criticised Hamid as they feared that the bench would reopen the Hudabiya Paper Mills case against the prime minister and his family in its final verdict.

However, the majority judgment does not even mention the matter relating to the Hudabiya Paper Mills. Even, NAB was not directed to file an appeal against the LHC order for quashing the Hudabiya Paper Mills reference.

Although, the minority judgment asks NAB to proceed against Ishaq Dar for involvement with the Sharif family in money laundering, but there is no adverse direction against the finance minister in the majority ruling.

Similarly, the larger bench unanimously rejected PTI’s contention that Maryam was dependent on her father (PM). The bench also did not give any adverse observation against Captain (retd) Safdar. Even, the majority judgment did not ask the authorities to scrutinise the PM’s daughter for her alleged ownership of the London flats.

Hamid later told The Express Tribune that he was happy about successfully protecting the interest of his three clients. “I am a strong believer in God. I thank God that I have been able to defend the position of my clients”, he said.