Latif Khosa Explained

Latif Khosa
Office:Governor of Punjab
Predecessor:Salmaan Taseer
President:Asif Ali Zardari
Primeminister:Yusuf Raza Gillani
Successor:Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood
Office1:26th Attorney General of Pakistan
Predecessor1:Malik Mohammad Qayyum
President1:Asif Ali Zardari
Primeminister1:Yusuf Raza Gillani
Party:PTI (2023-present)
Otherparty:PPP (1970-2022)
Successor1:Anwar Mansoor Khan
Birth Date:25 July 1946
Birth Place:Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan)
Nationality:Pakistani
Spouse:Jamila Khosa
Musarrat Khosa
Children:7 (4 sons, 3 daughters)
Alma Mater:Government College Lahore/University of Punjab
Profession:Lawyer/Politician
Term Start:13 January 2011
Term End:2 January 2013
Term Start1:19 August 2008
Term End1:10 October 2009
Office8:Member of the Senate of Pakistan
Term Start8:March 2003
Term End8:March 2009
Constituency8:General seat from Punjab
President8:Pervaiz Musharraf
Primeminister8:Shaukat Aziz
Office4:Senior Vice Presidentof Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Term Start4:2 December 2023
1Blankname4:Chairman
1Namedata4:Imran Khan
Gohar Ali Khan
Office5:Secretary General of Pakistan Peoples Party
Term Start5:March 2013
Term End5:July 2017
1Blankname5:Chairman
1Namedata5:Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
2Blankname5:Co-Chairman
2Namedata5:Asif Ali Zardari
Predecessor5:Jahangir Badar
Successor5:Nayyar Bukhari
Office6:Federal Advisor of Information Technology & Telecommunication
Term Start6:November 2009
Term End6:July 2010
President6:Asif Ali Zardari
Primeminister6:Yusuf Raza Gillani
Predecessor6:Farooq H. Naek
Successor6:Humayun Khan
Order7:Chairman
Office7:Pakistan Bar Council
Term Start7:2008
Term End7:2009
Predecessor7:Malik Mohammad Qayyum
Successor7:Anwar Mansoor Khan
Termend9:1996
Termstart9:1995
Office9:Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Bar Council
Predecessor9:Ch Muhammad Ashraf Wahla
Successor9:Muhammad Kazim Khan
Office3:Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Term Start3:29 February 2024
Constituency3:NA-122 Lahore-VI
Birthname:Muhammad Latif Khosa
Relations:Asif Saeed Khosa (Cousin)
Nasir Mahmood Khosa (Cousin)
Tariq Masood Khosa (Cousin)
Zulfiqar Ali Khosa (Cousin)
Amjad Farooq Khan (Cousin)
Dost Muhammad Khosa (Nephew)
Muhammad Saif-ud-Din Khosa (Nephew)
Residence:Lahore
Blank1:Notable Awards
Data1:Nishan-e-Imtiaz
Hilal-e-Imtiaz
Krishan Kishore Grover Goodwill Gold Medal
Native Name Lang:ur

Latif Khosa (Urdu: {{Nastaliq|لطیف کھوسہ; born 25 July 1946) is a Pakistani lawyer and politician who is an advocate in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He served as the Governor of Punjab from 2011 to 2013. He is the incumbent Member of National Assembly Pakistan from NA-122 Lahore since 10 February 2024. He was a senator from 2003 to 2009, the attorney general of Pakistan in 2008 to 2009 and the Federal advisor of Information Technology & Telecommunication from 2009 to 2010.[1] [2] Khosa also remained a member of the Pakistan Bar Council and served as its Executive Committee's chairman.[3] He co-authored an electoral fraud report with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto shortly before her assassination in December 2007. Khosa had been one of Bhutto's aides.[4] Khosa joined PTI in 2023.[5]

He belongs to a Saraiki-speaking family of the Khosa Baloch tribe.[6] Latif Khosa is the founder of Khosa Law Chambers (KLC), a law firm based in Lahore.

Education

After receiving his early education from Dera Ghazi Khan Punjab, he joined Government College, Lahore from where he did his graduation. During his stay at Government College, he showed excellent results in debate, sports and academics.

After graduation, he joined the Punjab University Law College at Lahore, where he became President of the Punjab University Law College Students Union, and the editor of Law college's official magazine, "Al-Meezan". He was declared the best English debater of 1967 in the Punjab University after winning the "Krishan Kishore Grover Goodwill Gold Medal Declamation Contest". Later, he was selected as the president of PULC debating society. He did his LL.B in 1967 with a top honours for best all round activities in academics, sports and debates.

Professional career

Latif Khosa joined the legal profession at Lahore and enrolled as an advocate of the subordinate Courts in 1968. In 1970, he became an advocate of the High Court and in 1980 as an advocate of the Supreme Court.

During the years 1981; 1983 & 1985, Latif Khosa was elected as the President of High Court Bar Association Multan. In 1990, Khosa was elected as Member Pakistan Bar Council for the first time and subsequently for 2 more terms in 1995 & 2000.

Political career

He has held the portfolios of a Senator (2003-2009), Attorney General (2008-2009) in the Government of Pakistan, Advisor/Federal Minister (2010). He also remained Governor of Punjab (2011-2013) and most recently as Member National Assembly Pakistan from NA-122 Lahore since 8 February; 2024.

Khosa was active in the 2007 lawyer's movement for the restoration of dozens of senior judges including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry sacked by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2007.

Senator Khosa appeared before the acting Chief Justice Javaid Iqbal in a hearing over the handling of the Iftikhar Chaudry sacking issue.

Khosa has spoken for rule of law and rights of minorities. In 1967 he supported Zulfikar Ali Bhutto against the military dictator Ayub Khan. From 1977 onwards, he supported Benazir Bhutto against the military dictators Zia ul Haq and Pervaiz Musharraf. Khosa was not critical of the military's interference in politics when Imran Khan was widely seen as military's "puppet" in what analysts described as a "hybrid military regime" after the 2018 elections.[7] [8] [9] After Imran fell out of favour with the military, however, Khosa started criticising the military's role in politics.[10]

Governor Punjab

He was appointed as Governor of Punjab in January 2011. The choice of his selection as Governor came after the PPP acquiesced to the PML-N's 10-point agenda to improve relationship between PML(N)'s Punjab Government and that of the PPP federal government.[11]

Khosa has been the key instrument in smooth running of the Punjab Government during his governorship 2011-2013 in spite of issues between the two mainstream political parties PPP (Pakistan People's Party) and PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz)

Secretary General PPP

Khosa was appointed as the Secretary General of Pakistan Peoples Party in 2013 and he remained on that post until 2017. He is also the Member of CEC Pakistan People's Party. He is the Central Chairman of the party's Lawyer Wing Peoples Lawyers Forum (PLF) and Election Monitoring Cell of Pakistan Peoples Party.

Attorney general

Soon after the PPP came to power after the 2008 elections; Khosa was appointed Attorney-General for Pakistan until 2009. Being attorney general, he represented Pakistan on different International Forums & Judicial Conferences.

Federal Advisor of Information Technology & Communication

He has also been appointed as Advisor of Information Technology/Minister Incharge in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.On 20 July 2010, Advisor to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Information Technology/Minister Incharge Sardar Latif Khosa sent his resignation to the president after developing disagreements with the premier.

Senator

Khosa was elected as Senator from Punjab Province in 2003. His name was nominated by late Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. His senatorship remained in function until 2009.

He has been member of senate Committees for Foreign Affairs, Law Justice and Human Rights, Government Assurances, Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges, Senate House Committee, Devolution Process

Member National Assembly Pakistan

Khosa was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan in the 2024 Pakistani general election from NA-122 Lahore-VI as an independent candidate supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He received 117,124 votes and defeated Khawaja Saad Rafique, a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)).[12]

Bar politics

Khosa has been very active in bar politics and his group has won important Supreme Court Bar Association and Pakistan Bar Council elections over the last 40 years. He has been selected as the president of High Court Bar thrice (1981; 1983; 1985) and as member Pakistan Bar Council three times 1990-2005 (15 years).

Family

Khosa's Family include former Governor Punjab Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa; former Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa; former Inspector General Police Tariq Khosa; former Chief Secretary Punjab Nasir Khosa and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.[13]

Khosa has 4 sons and 3 daughters. Three of his sons including Sardar Khurram Latif Khosa, Balakh Sher Khosa & Shahbaz Khosa are Advocates Supreme Court of Pakistan. One of his son Dr Faisal Khosa [14] is a renowned Medical Specialist; based in North America.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.nation.com.pk/09-Jan-2011/latif-khosa-appointed-as-governor-punjab Latif Khosa appointed as Governor Punjab
  2. http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49351&Itemid=2 "Sardar Latif Khosa to be new Attorney General "
  3. http://pakistanbarcouncil.org/chairmen-executive-committee-of-the-pakistan-bar-council Chairman Executive PBC
  4. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/02/pakistan.voterigging/ Pakistan government delays elections
  5. Web site: Imran's lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa formally joins PTI . 18 December 2023 .
  6. Web site: The News International: Latest News Breaking, Pakistan News .
  7. News: 2020-11-22 . Pakistan opposition seeks end to Imran Khan's 'puppet' rule . 2024-05-28 . en-GB.
  8. Web site: Pakistan's Hybrid Regime: The Army's Project Imran Khan . 2024-05-28 . thediplomat.com . en-US.
  9. Web site: Dawn.com . 2020-12-18 . 'Anger in army' over Nawaz's tirades but Gen Bajwa tolerating them for democracy: PM Imran . 2024-05-28 . DAWN.COM . en.
  10. Web site: PTI chief visits Latif Khosa's residence, demands strict actions against attackers . 19 June 2023 .
  11. Web site: Khosa's appointment challenged in LHC . 12 January 2011 .
  12. Web site: Election Commission of Pakistan . 2024-07-17 . ecp.gov.pk.
  13. Web site: Khosa for all top slots.
  14. https://faisalkhosa.com