LAHORE - On 22 December 2021, Cornelius, Lane & Mufti, a law firm based in Lahore, arranged the launching ceremony of the book “Justice A.R. Cornelius: A Constitutionalist,” edited by Asad Ullah Khan and Amna Umar Khan, to commemorate the life and legacy of late Justice Alvin Robert Cornelius at the Faletti’s Hotel.

The organisers stated that this book was an attempt on part of Cornelius, Lane & Mufti to remember and re-introduce Justice A.R Cornelius to the younger generations as a towering figure in our judicial history. It not only contains personal reflections by people who knew and learned from Justice A.R Cornelius in his lifetime, but also several essays and articles by academics and scholars who are working to revitalise the thought of Justice A.R Cornelius in the legal field and beyond.

Justice A.R Cornelius has perhaps been the longest serving Chief Justice of Pakistan in the history of the country. His opinions in Federation of Pakistan v. Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan and State v. Dosso have been hailed over the course of several decades as foundational in making a case for democracy and protection of fundamental liberties in Pakistan.

The ceremony included addresses by former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Mr Hamid Khan, Dr Yaqoob Khan Bangash and Dr Alexander John Malick. It also included a photo display of rare pictures of Justice A.R Cornelius with his family and close colleagues. Brief video messages from Senior Partner of Cornelius, Lane & Mufti, Afzal H Mufti, Justice Cornelius’s family and esteemed members of the Bar including Syed Afzal Haider and S.M Zafar were also played, who narrated stories about their interactions with Justice A.R Cornelius during his lifetime.

Every speaker bore testament to the humility, integrity and honestly of Justice A.R Cornelius as a judge, as a colleague and, above all, as a human being. S.M Zafar called him a “model judge” who was steadfast and courageous in the face of adversities. 

Of note was his remark that “whenever Justice Cornelius found a contradiction between law and society, he did not surrender. Rather, he tried to bridge it.” Similarly, Syed Afzal Haider likened Justice A.R Cornelius to a nightingale who sung the songs of justice and human liberties during his tenure through his judgments and afterwards, through his speeches. 

Mr. Hamid Khan. Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court, also addressed the gathering, sharing his memories with the late judge, and thanking Mr Haroon Muhammad Mumtaz, Asad Ullah Khan, Amna Umar Khan and Mohsin Anwaar for their efforts in organising the ceremony.

On behalf of the Christian Community, Dr. Alexander John Malick recounted his interactions with Justice Cornelius and regarded him as the embodiment of the spirit of humility, harmony and tolerance. In a similar vein, Dr Yaqoob Khan Bangash discussed the possible reasons, based in Justice Cornelius’s appreciation for Islamic law, because of which he chose to reside in Pakistan at the instance of independence in 1947. A brief message of Professor Martin Lau was also read. Concluding remarks were given by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, the executor of Justice A.R Cornelius’s will, who also shared multiple stories about the humility, innocence, and saintly lifestyle of Justice A.R Cornelius. At the end, Justice Khawaja urged the readers to read the book, absorb the thoughts of Justice A.R Cornelius, and walk in his creed to build a better future for our coming generations.