Ex-CJ Rana Bhagwandas passes away

He was highly respected for his personal integrity

KARACHI: Rana Bhagwandas, former acting chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), passed away Monday morning. He was 72. The former judge was under treatment for cardiac disease at a private hospital in Karachi. His body was cremated at the historic Hindu crematorium in Karachi’s Old Golimar locality.

Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khursheed Ahmed Shah, former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and many political leaders, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain, expressed heartfelt condolences over the death of Bhagwandas and lauded his active role to maintain supremacy of the rule of law.

He was the first Hindu judge to hold the office of the country’s top court. And only the second non-Muslim judge to head the country’s judiciary after AR Cornelius, a Christian who served in that capacity for eight years – between May 13, 1960 and February 29, 1968.

Bhagwandas, who was highly respected for his professional expertise and personal integrity, was born in Naseerabad town of Larkana district on December 20, 1942. He practised law for two years as advocate and was appointed as sessions judge.

He was famous as ‘Dada Judge’ in his family circle. Dada is a term of respect. His relatives as well as members of his community were in awe of his dominant personality.

He was elevated as additional judge of the Sindh High Court on June 6, 1994 till his further elevation to the Supreme Court on February 2, 2000.

He served on the apex court’s bench till December 14, 2007 during which he served as acting chief justice of Pakistan on different occasions.

Bhagwandas had retired in December 2007 during deposition among 60 other superior judiciary judges and was later reinstated in retirement status. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2015.