MUHAMMAD SIDDIQUE AWAN
Advocate High Court
(LLM, England)

Educational Qualification

• LLM (Masters of Law)- Leeds Metropolitan University, England, UK, 2002-03
• Post Graduate Diploma in Law- Leeds Metropolitan University, England, UK 2001-02
• LLB- Punjab University Lahore Pakistan 1994-98
• CCIL (Certificate Course in Islamic Law)- Islamic International University Islamabad Pakistan
• B.A.- Government College Lahore Pakistan 1991-93

Brief Introduction:

I obtained Master of Law from Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. My specialization is comparative study of laws relating to women and child rights in England and Pakistan. In addition to Master of Law, I had completed post graduate diploma of law from the same university in 2001-02.

I returned from England in the 2003 and established a law firm Jurists and Arbitrators (J&A). J&A is simultaneously operating from Lahore, Jhelum and Rawalpindi. We provide all types of legal services through expert team. J&A provides services and support in various fields of legal consultancy and litigation. These include Corporate, Companies, Customs, Taxation, Banking, Rent, Family, Civil Matters and Criminal Matters including Bail and Appeals, Constitutional, Service Matters etc. The Firm also provides free legal support to needy and helpless women and children especially from marginalised populations and women and children in jails.

I had been member of visiting faculty Pir Mehr Ali Shah University Rawalpindi.

Some of the Assignments During the Last Ten Years;

• Drafted bill for presentation in Punjab Assembly for prohibition of Child Marriages.
• Drafted Guide Lines for UNICEF and NACP regarding the Medical help, support and treatment of minors without consent of parents.
• Drafted a paper for The Network to bring awareness among parliamentarians for the legislation on iodised salt.
• Drafted guide lines for women regarding their rights of inheritance in land and properties left by their parents and other relatives. This booklet was published by Bedari (a national NGO working for Women and Child rights) and distributed in Azad Kashmir
• Drafted guideline for NGOs for human rights activist to get better understanding of court proceedings so that they could provide better support to victims in court proceedings.
• Provided legal support to forty five women who were imprisoned under Hudood And Zina Ordinance and got released from Jail
• Provided legal support to the hundred families of street children who were imprisoned in Addyla Jail under different street crimes.
• Delivered lectures to raise awareness among different classes regarding human rights especially women and children
• Conducted trainings sessions for staff of NGOs including Bedari, PODA and IRADA to orientate them regarding women and child issues.
• Provided an active support to the victims of domestic violence, harassment to the women at Dar ul amaan.
• Provided free legal support to poor and needy especially women and children.

Work Experience

Jurists & Arbitrators

• A law firm established in 2003 dealing with variety of cases pertaining to companies and individuals.
• Enlisted on the panel of lawyers for various banks, companies and development organizations, for Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Lahore.
• Matters involving the fundamental right of freedom of citizens.
• Providing free legal support to needy and deserving persons.
• Working with some other organizations for the development and improvement of the life of unprivileged citizens such as women, children

Safe-Haven Yorkshire, England UK

I worked as Team Leader for six months with Safe-Haven Yorkshire, an England based NGO, which provides housing and basic social support to the asylum seekers. My responsibilities included; management of a team of six field workers; visiting the asylum seekers to find out if they had any social problem; helping the asylum seekers in arranging lawyers and get them registered with the local doctors.

Jahangir A. Jhoja Law Associates

Two years of working experience in civil law and family law with Jahangir A. Jhoja Law Associates 4-A Mozang Road Lahore, firstly as a trainee and then as an associate.

Other work Experience

Member visiting faculty Pir Mehr Ali Shah University Rawalpindi