South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a regional network of human rights defenders, mourns the untimely demise of prominent lawyer and human rights activist Kamran Arif on 2 April 2021 and conveys its heartfelt condolences to his family, relatives and friends. His easy camaraderie, great sense of humour and his helpfulness at all times will be greatly missed.
Kamran was a long-standing member of SAHR and served in the SAHR Bureau from 2010-2017. He served as the Vice-Chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). He practiced law in Pakistan both at the trial and appellate levels for 19 years, and acted as a Special Prosecutor for the National Corruption Bureau. In addition, he worked with civil society organisations in Pakistan, with SAHR and other South Asian organisations as well as international organisations in investigating human rights complaints, reporting on rights violations and providing training for capacity-building of activists and lawyers.
SAHR greatly appreciates the understated and consistent contribution he made towards the protection and promotion of human rights, democratic values and peace in the South Asian region and the immense support he conveyed to advance the rights of marginalised groups, including children, women, religious and ethnic minorities, and his efforts towards criminal justice reform.
We shall indeed miss his commitment towards justice, peace and human rights in Pakistan as well as South Asia.
On behalf of the members of South Asians for Human Rights,
Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chairperson
Dr. Roshmi Goswami
Co-Chairperson