Fahrid Chishty, a British-Pakistani barrister, was awarded a highly prestigious legal scholarship by the Inns of Court in London.
This is the first time in the program's history that a Pegasus Scholar has been assigned to Pakistan.
The Pegasus Scholarship was established in 1987 by Lord Goff of Chieveley and is regarded as a highly prestigious award at the English Bar. It is awarded annually to a specific group of talented junior barristers who are regarded as future leaders of the legal profession.
The grant enables scholars to travel abroad to observe the operation of the Common Law in various jurisdictions and to form long-term relationships with fellow practitioners.
Fahrid told the media that he plans to visit Pakistan later this year to collaborate with members of the legal community and the judiciary on various criminal justice projects.
Fahrid said that he is especially interested in criminal justice reform and that he will have the opportunity to study and review relevant domestic procedural and statutory laws. This will include issues ranging from trial evidence rules to sentencing policy and procedure.
He will also discuss Artificial Intelligence (AI), case management technologies, and forensic evidence with his Pakistani colleagues in an effort to increase mutual, bilateral learning between the legal professions of the two countries.
Fahrid was called to the Bar in 2019 and practises criminal, constitutional, regulatory, and international law from Libertas Chambers in London.
He expressed his gratitude for being chosen for this award, and he looks forward to learning from colleagues and seniors in Pakistan.
He stated: "Pakistan is a place near and dear to my heart. My paternal grandparents hail from inner Lahore and my maternal family has their origins in Serai Saleh, Hazara. It would be an enormous honour for him to be able to give back to the land of his forefathers as an English-trained barrister and jurist."
Fahrid's father, Makhdoom Chishti, was a Commander with the Metropolitan Police Service at New Scotland Yard, where he rose to become the highest-ranking Muslim police officer in the United Kingdom. He received the Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2010 and the Sitar-i-Imitiaz from Pakistan's President in 2018.
Makhdoom Chishti led Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism response during the 'war on terror,' when London and the UK faced serious terror threats.