WJP Honorary Chair Profile: Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Supreme Court, Pakistan

"Democracy is not just about holding periodic elections…it is a way of life and the office of the “citizen” is its basic component" - Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani

World Justice Project Honorary Chair Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani started his professional career as a lawyer from the Districts Courts Multan, and in a short span of less than ten years, was enrolled as an Advocate of the High Court and Supreme Court. He would go on to hold several elected positions, including Secretary General of the District Bar Association Multan and Member of the Punjab Bar Council. In 1979 he was appointed as Assistant Advocate General Punjab and thereafter he became Additional Advocate General and finally the Advocate General Punjab in 1993. In 1994, he was elevated as Judge of the Lahore High Court, Lahore and having served there for ten years (from August 7, 1994 to July 2004), he was elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan (in July 2004) where he is now a senior Judge of the said Court.

Hon. Justice Jillani’s contribution to the rule of law in Pakistan is the legacy of a liberal, independent, and balanced judge. As a Judge of the High Court and now as Judge of the Supreme Court, he has delivered opinions and authored judgments on various issues of domestic and international concern such as enforcement of fundamental rights, gender equality, and best practices in legal and medical education.

Justice Jillani’s awards and honors include being awarded the Key to the City of Detroit, being named Co-Chair of The Hague Conference Working Party on Mediation in Family International Law, the Distinguished Formanite Award by the Forman Christians College University, Lahore for the year 2011, and an “Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters” from Southern Virginia University, Washington. And of course, conferral of the Honorary Chair by the American Bar on its “The World Justice Project”---an Initiative to promote the rule of law the world over. For a full list of other WJP Honorary Co-Chairs, follow the link here.

In July 2008, Justice Jillani was invited by the American Bar Association to receive the ‘2008 Rule of Law Award’ on behalf of those Judges of Pakistan who demonstrated courage in upholding the ‘Rule of Law’ in the country. Read his full remarks here.

Despite low rankings and scores in the 2012 Rule of Law Index—most notably Factor Two: Absence of Corruption, ranking 90/97 countries—Pakistan scores strongly on judicial independence and fairness in administrative proceedings, largely through the commitment of judges like Justice Jillani to strengthen the rule of law both on the bench and off. “Peace can only be achieved by adhering to rule of law.” said Jillani at the International Conference on Peace Through Law.

Click here to view Pakistan’s 2012 country profile, and download the data graphs for a complete breakdown of the Index Factor components. 

Click here to read “The Rule of Law and the Supreme Court of Pakistan” by Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani.