To celebrate rule of law promotion and our legal reform efforts around the world, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiatve (ABA ROLI) held its 2008 Luncheon Awards Ceremony in New York City on August 9. During the annual event, ABA ROLI also bestowed its Rule of Law Award, which this year was awarded to those lawyers and judges in Pakistan who demonstrated courage in upholding the rule of law in their country.

With such deserving and timely awardees, the luncheon proved memorable and moving. Accepting the award on behalf of the lawyers was Aitzaz Ahsan, President of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, and a leader of the Lawyers’ Movement. Ahsan was recently named the fifth most Influential public intellectual in the world by readers of Foreign Policy magazine.

Slated to accept the award of behalf of the judges was Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilliani of the Pakistan Supreme Court, a leading constitutional scholar and one of the Supreme Court Justices deposed for refusing to take the oath under the new Provisional Constitutional Order. While Justice Jillani was unable to join us in New York, the remarks he prepared for the event were read by Honorable J. Clifford Wallace, U.S. Court of Appeals/9th Circuit, a personal friend of Justice Jillani’s and a member of ABA ROLI’s Asia Council.

Thanks to their stirring words during the luncheon and the fearlessness with which they endeavored to preserve the Pakistani constitution, both Aitzaz Ahsan and Justice Jillani are inpirations to those who value the rule of law.