Admitted to practice in 1982.

B.A., LL.B. (University of Punjab)
LL.M. (University of London)
Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan

Professional Affiliations

Pakistan Bar Council
Supreme Court Bar Association
Punjab Bar Council
Lahore High Court Bar Association

Profile

Mr. Salman Aslam Butt, Senior Partner, has almost four decades of experience of corporate, commercial and constitutional laws. He is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (a title conferred upon the most experienced and seasoned litigators appearing before the Supreme Court of Pakistan). During January 2014 to March 2016, Mr. Butt served as the Attorney General for Paksitan. In that capacity he also acted as the ex-officio Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council (the apex regulatory body of the legal profession) and ex-officio member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. As the Attorney General for Pakistan, he represented the Government of Pakistan in several landmark Constitutional and fiscal matters, including a successful defence of the 21st Constitutional Amendment and Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Additionally, he also represented the Government of Pakistan in several international arbitrations.

Mr. Butt has been recommended as a “leading individual” for Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution and Real Estate (Pakistan Chapter, Asia Pacific Legal 500 for 2016), for Corporate & Commercial and Dispute Resolution (Pakistan Chapter, Chambers Asia 2012-13) and Corporate and Commercial (Pakistan Chapter, Chambers Global 2012-13). Also recommended in International Who’s Who of Capital Market Lawyers, 2013.
Visiting Law Lecturer, University of the Punjab 1985-1988.

Expertise

Specializing in constitutional and commercial litigation, internal arbitrations, corporate, commercial and banking laws, structuring, negotiation and documentation of banking transactions, mergers and acquisitions, financial transactions and corporate finance, law of property, civil litigation, alternate dispute resolution, contracts, international business transactions, oil and gas laws, telecommunications laws, environmental laws, laws related to concessions etc. and related matters.

Notable Engagements

• Advised on implementation agreement and financing for LPG extraction plant at Jamshoro Sindh.
• Represented Caterpillar Inc. (USA) in high profile litigations relating to the oil and gas sector and Pakistan Railways.
• Represented leading fertilizer manufacturers in high profile litigations relating to natural gas allocation policies before the High Courts as well as the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
• Acted as Counsel for the Privatization Commission of Pakistan before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the matter of privatization of public company.
• Advised Joint Managers to Pakistan’s sovereign US $600 Million Islamic Sukuk Bond.
• Advised a Pakistani telecom company on contracts for supply and installation of GSM and LDI networks in Pakistan.
• Advised Government of Punjab on first road project on BOT basis in Pakistan.
• Structured and handled the largest transaction in Pakistan pertaining to the transference of shareholding between the shareholders (with management).
• Structured and handled the first public term finance certificate issue in Pakistan, having a floating rate of profit with a banking company.
• Restructuring of a major group defaulter in the private sector.
• Acted as Pakistan local counsel to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in respect of various projects being handled by it in Pakistan in the power generation sector.
• Acted as Counsel in respect of the sale of shareholding along with transfer of management of a commercial bank and presently involved in handling two major acquisitions of companies for purchasers.
• Acted as Counsel to various power generation companies in Pakistan.
• Structured and handled transactions for various multinational banks in respect of finance to Daewoo Corporation Motorway Project.
• Acted as Counsel before the High Courts and Supreme Court of Pakistan in various civil, corporate, fiscal and constitutional matters.
• Acted as Counsel in International Arbitrations including those related to the Power Sector.
• Acted as local Counsel in connection with the securitization of receivables of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation in the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, for Citibank, N.A., and ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
• Extensive involvement in structuring and handling swap transactions under the regulations of the State Bank of Pakistan for lending to Public/Private Sector entities. Structuring and handling transactions under the Islamic mode of Finance for local and multinational banks and financial institutions, including the DMI Group.
• Acted as Counsel of the Government of Punjab in the canal widening road project, Suo Moto Case No. 25 of 2009, before the Honorable Supreme Court.

Major engagements as Attorney-General of Pakistan

• Representing Government of Pakistan before an ICSID Tribunal (Karkey Arbitration)
• Representing Government of Pakistan before an ICSID Tribunal (Reko Diq Arbitration)
• Representing Government of Pakistan before an ICSID Tribunal (ProGas Arbitration)
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the landmark 18th and 21St Constitutional Amendments case, heard by the full bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and decided in favor of the Government.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the seniority of judges case.
• Acting for Pakistan in an arbitration proceeding before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
• Acting for Pakistan in international arbitration proceedings in a dispute relating to the recovery of overseas (money laundered) assets.
• Advising the Government in matters relating to the water disputes with India under the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the missing person’s case.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the Universal Service Fund case.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the implementation proceedings of the case relating to the appointment of the Chairman of OGRA.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in connected matters involving a determination of the parameters of the judicial review of death sentences awarded by the Field General Court Martial (and confirmed by the Appellate Authority) to civilians for committing terrorism-related offences.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in respect of a case relating to the election proceedings.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in connected cases relating to the role of the judiciary in the appointment of members / presiding officers of administrative tribunals and other quasi-judicial bodies.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the matter concerning the sale of shares of OGDCL.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in respect of a challenge to certain electricity surcharges introduced under the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act, 1997.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in a petition seeking the disqualification of the Prime Minister of Pakistan on the allegation of lying to the nation.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in a matter relating to the arrest and detention of Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in a matter relating to the challenges made to various amendments to several labor related laws including Workers Welfare Fund Ordinance 1971, Employees Old Age Benefits Act 1976, Companies Profits (Workers’s Participation) Act 1968, Workmen’s Compensation Act 1923, West Pakistan Industrial And Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance 1968 and the West Pakistan Minimum Wages for Unskilled Workers Ordinance 1969.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in a dispute relating to the payment liabilities between the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and K – Electric.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court in the review of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the Houbara Bustard case, which was accepted and the matter was ultimately decided in favour of the Government.
• Appearing before the Islamabad High Court to challenge the restraining order passed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in the implementation of the Kissan (Farmers) Package, which was decided in favour of the Government and the Election Commission’s order was set aside.
• Appearing before the Lahore High Court in resisting public interest litigation through which execution of the Orange Line Metro Train Project was challenged inter alia on the ground of the Project’s purported adverse implications to heritage sites.
• Appearing before the Supreme Court on behalf of the Federal Government of Pakistan in various other matters.
• Advising, consulting and providing legal assistance to the Federal Government in general, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, in particular, on various legal issues.

Email: [email protected]