Gathered here are tributes, biographical details and memories related to the late Justice (Retd) Sajjad Ahmed Sipra. Justice Sipra passed away on January 7th, 2025 and will be remembered as The Greatest by all who loved him and were touched by his love and humor and his life of service and utmost integrity. I intend to keep such archives related to people I am related to or who touched my life and Sajjad Sipra’s is the first one I have created.

Biographical Note

Sajjad Sipra was born in Rangoon, Burma, on May 10th, 1936. His father, Rasheed Ahmed Khan was a Superintendent of Police in Burma before partition. The family belonged to village Dharekan in Punjab and for some generations before him, Sipra’s forefathers had been known for attaining high honors in education, for being scholars of many languages and for serving at senior posts in the army, police and postal service of British India.

Sajjad Sipra graduated from Government College, Lahore and obtained his Law Degree from the Punjab University Law College, Lahore. During his student years, in addition to securing a position in the University in an Examination, he was elected/selected or appointed to various posts of distinction and leadership, and organized, participated in, and presided over innumerable debates, seminars, symposia and conventions. In addition to being elected to University Students Union, he was chairman of Inter Collegiate Body comprising of Presidents of all the College Students Unions of Lahore. He also was Chairman of Editorial Board of the English Magazine of Punjab University.

He started his legal practice at Lahore and in due course was enrolled as Advocate of High Court of West Pakistan (as it then was) and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He was Legal Advisor to many Companies i.e., textile mills, ghee mills, jute mills, construction companies, import/export firms, R.D.F.C and other government departments; and was on the panel of lawyers of various Banks, Financial Institutions and WAPDA etc.

After having been Federal Counsellor, he was appointed as Deputy Attorney General of Pakistan at the principal seat of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In 1988, he was elevated as Judge of the Lahore High Court and retired in 1999. He represented his country in the two conventions i.e. “Convention for The Establishment of International Criminal Court” and “Convention against Terrorist Bombing”, respectively, hosted by the United Nations in 1997. He was an active member of both the Syndicates of Universities of Engineering and Technology, Lahore and Taxila respectively.

In February 2000, Justice (R) Sajjad Sipra was appointed Mohtasib or Ombudsman of Punjab by the governor of Punjab. The role of the Ombdusman is primarily to address grievances citizens might have against institutions and bodies in charge of public administration. Sajjad Sipra served as Mohtasib for four years and resolved innumerable cases to provide relief to those who previously faced hurdles in accessing justice. (https://ombudsmanpunjab.gov.pk/system/files/Annual%20Report%202001.pdf)

Justice (R) Sipra was a life member of SOS Village Lahore, Horticulture Society of Pakistan, Youth Hostels Association of Pakistan, Punjab Public Library Lahore, Quaid-e-Azam Public Library Lahore and Dyal Singh Library, Lahore.

Justice (R) Sipra left for his heavenly abode on January 7th, 2025. Innalillahe wa inna ilaihe rajeoon. His life will serve as a example of service, integrity and courage. May Allah have mercy on him and grant him the highest ranks of Jannat al Firdaus. Aameen.

Oath-taking ceremony for Ombudsman of Punjab

Some words from the Holy Quran that Justice (R) Sajjad Sipra wanted to share in particular.

Rabbanaa laa tu-aa-Khiz-naa innaseenaa au akhta’naa Rabbanaa wa laa tah-mil ‘ alainaa isran Ka-maa haltahoo ‘alallazeena min qablinaa;

Rabbanaa wa laa tuhammilnaa maa laa taaqata lanaa bih Wa’fu ‘annaa washfir lanaa warham-naa anta maulaanaa fan-sur-naa ‘alal-qaumil Kaafireen

Translation:

Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or miss the mark!

Our Lord! Lay not us us such a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us!

Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear!

Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou art our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk [II: 286]

Ancestry and Family

The Sipra family has now spread to areas far from its roots within the Punjabi village of Dharekan Kalan. From the late 1800s and throughout the 1900s, people like Sajjad Sipra’s great grandfather, grandfather and father left the village for education and entered services such as the postal service, army and police. Their work took them to some of the most far-flung parts of the British empire, such as Burma, and each of them attained the highest ranks available to Indians in the fields they chose. Yet, they were also still rooted in their ancestral village. Even before their time, a hallmark of the Sipra clan had been the importance given to learning and education.

Sajjad Sipra often recounts what he knows of family history and the anecdotes and stories are fascinating to hear. He knows that his great great grandfather was Sheikh Ahmed, named after Ahmed Sirhindi. When Sheikh Ahmed was about fifteen, he left the village and went to Sial Sharif and remained there for many years as a pupil of a well-known scholar. Here he became a Hafiz-e-Quran, one who has committed the entire Quran to memory. When he returned to his village, he established a maktab or school there. What were referred to as dervishes, those who pledged to live an austere life devoted to their religious order, would come and stay at this maktab for years at a time and Sheikh Ahmed would support them. He became known as an Aalim and “the senior Maulvi Saheb” (wadday Maulvi Saheb).

When the British annexed Punjab in 1849, they sought influential and educated people to serve in their administration. Sheikh Ahmed was one of the people they invited to join them. However, he refused, saying that his learning was not for the firangis (foreigners). Mian Ghulam Rasul from near Kharian did enter British service and he unsuccessfully tried to convince Sheikh Ahmed to join as well.

Sheikh Ahmed’s son, Ghulam Mustafa was a teacher of Arabic and Persian in Gujrat when someone mentioned Oriental College in Lahore as a good place to move to. He was offered a teaching job there. While in Lahore, he also began to tutor British officers in Persian and Urdu. The British encouraged him to consider joining the army and eventually he joined the 92nd Punjabi, an infantry unit. It later became 4 Baloch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/92nd_Punjabis

Incidentally, Sajjad Sipra was once told that a shield with his great grandfather’s name on it is still kept in storage by this infantry unit in Pakistan. Ghulam Mustafa spent many years serving in Burma and was awarded for his gallantry. Being a scholar of Urdu and Persian, he was often asked to do translation work (for example, he translated the Scout’s manual from English to Urdu). Sajjad Sipra narrates some vivid incidents from the life of his great grandfather in the video shared on this page, especially about his first visit back to his village from Burma on a leave, having spent 15 years away from home.

Another interesting part of this story is that Ghulam Mustafa’s wife was also quite learned and a Hafiz-e-Quran. She was from village Bhakoke and wrote a book of Punjabi poetry in the siharfi style.

Ghulam Mustafa made sure that his own son, Mohammed Hafeez, received a good education. He admitted him to a school in Lahore and from there he was sent to Jhelum. Later, he matriculated from Islamia College in Lahore and joined his father in Burma. He was offered a job as a jailer, but he did not take to that work and was upset by the torture and hangings he witnessed. He disappeared after leaving this job and later, it was discovered that he had entered the postal service. He kept rising in rank and became a Deputy Postmaster.

His son, Rasheed Ahmed was Sajjad Sipra’s father. Rasheed Ahmed was an avid student. It was for his sake that his grandfather, Ghulam Mustafa, convinced a Deputy Commissioner to allow him to build a school in Dharekan village. Earlier, Rasheed Ahmed would ride ten miles on horse-back to attend a primary school. The school his grandfather built became known far and wide for the impressive building and the competent principals and teachers. For his higher education, Rasheed went to Gordon College, Rawalpindi and then F.C. College in Lahore, from where he completed his bachelors. In 1924, he was visiting his father in Burma when a twist of fate led to his joining police service. Rasheed helped a British officer who happened to be a DIG with fixing a mechanical issue with his motorbike and the conversation turned to what his career plans were. He was encouraged to join the police and though is first love had been journalism, he gave up that idea and decided to accept a job as a Sub Inspector and then when he had learnt Burmese, an Inspector in Burma. During the second world war, he was an SP when the Japanese attacked Rangoon. His car was hit but he survived. He managed to save his family but their house was destroyed in the attacks and his hundreds of medals, especially for academic excellence, were destroyed. During the war, he was made in-charge of the Japanese internees who were to be evacuated from Rangoon, including the Consul General, Trade Commissioner, etc.

Rasheed Ahmed’s younger brother Saeed Ahmed was also a highly educated officer who had studied at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun and was a major in the Indian army.

At the time of partition, Rasheed Ahmed was at a rank equivalent to a Lt. Colonel in Rangoon and there was no more senior rank available to him in the police as an Indian. Rasheed Ahmed’s family suffered a huge setback as a result of the partition, losing their home and the life they had made. They returned to Pakistan after months of tortuous and dangerous train travel punctuated by stays at refugee camps. They fled without any of their belongings but counted their blessings that they were safely reunited with family in West Pakistan. However, the blow of partition had far-reaching repercussions for the suddenly uprooted family.

After partition, Rasheed Ahmed was given the charge of DIG in East Pakistan. His last posting as a police officer was as Deputing Commandant at the Police Training College in Sardah, East Pakistan. He returned to West Pakistan in 1960 and took up a job with an American firm building a dam. Then, he worked at the Small Industries Corporation and retired soon after.

Once Rasheed Ahmed returned to West Pakistan in the 1960s, he refused a number of offers of prestigious and lucrative posts as he felt that young people should be selected for those. Sajjad Sipra recalls that these were very difficult times, but at least the family was together and strong. Sajjad played a pivotal role in taking care of his family, especially from 1960s onwards. His elder brother, Riaz Ahmed Sipra had qualified for police service after excelling in the civil service exams. The family was starting to find its foothold once again in the 1960s. Riaz Ahmed Sipra later served as IG and was a very well-regarded police officer, known for his upright and courageous personality. His younger brother Imtiaz Sipra was an award-winning athlete in numerous sports at F.C. College and later earned his name as a sports journalist. He was posthumously awarded Pride of Performance in this field. Ayyaz Ahmed Sipra, the youngest brother, was also a very good student and sportsman and became a major in the Pakistani army. Iftikhar Ahmed Sipra, a few years older than Ayyaz was also an excellent student and became a lawyer. Sajjad Sipra’s sisters Razia, Zohra, Najma and Shahida completed their education by graduating from institutions such as Kinnaird College and College of Home Economics. Shahida Sipra went on to complete her Masters and then made a name for herself in the field of education, particularly in her service as Principal of Multan Public School for many years.

Sajjad Sipra’s father, Rasheed Ahmed Khan, in Burma

The Sipra brothers, from left to right: Sajjad, Iftikhar, Riaz, Imtiaz, Ayyaz

Some time back, Sajjad Sipra agreed to be recorded for some videos in which he shared some memories and reflected on the times he lived through. One of the videos has been subtitled in English and is shared here. More videos (not yet subtitled) appear here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuRdbWPDbqJS58poOVS8GnA?app=desktop

In February 2019, Sajjad Sipra penned the following in memoriam for his younger brother, Ayyaz Sipra, upon the latter’s untimely demise.

Reflections

Sajjad Sipra shared some thoughts in Dawn newspaper recently.

August 4th, 2023:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1768345

July 17th, 2023:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1765188

Iqbal was right

THERE is a lot of discussion these days about how the establishment has exposed a once-beloved politician and his party. It is a tale that highlights the nature of our polity; an idol was crafted, people were ‘made’ to worship it, and then the myth was destroyed. In Allama Iqbal’s words, Tarasheedam, Parasteedam, Shikastam (I fashioned, I worshipped, I destroyed).

This is not the first time it happened in the country’s history, and, as such, did not come as a surprise to those who are familiar with the past. The beneficiary in this case tried to fool all the people all the time, and, as could only be expected, failed.

This is sad at many levels, but it is not the end. This is a country of millions of people and a nuclear power to boot. It is not going to disappear just because of the unfortunate and utterly regrettable behaviour of a leader and his followers. That much we know for sure.

We can only hope that good sense will prevail and further destabilisation and destruction will be avoided at a time of great economic peril.

All concerned have to remember that justice needs to be done as well as it has to appear to have been done.

All is not lost, and with the support of the people at large, the country will surely once again rise from the present phase of crisis stronger than ever before.

Shared Memories

Sajjad Sipra’s younger sister Razia Nadir (1937 – 2021), often shared stories from their childhood with her children and grandchildren. In the following, she can be heard recalling her time in Burma before the partition and her memories of time spent in her ancestral village in Punjab which she would often visit as a child.

From Aruj Saleem

“No man can become rich without himself enriching others.” — Andrew Carnegie

Where do I start from?
Let me start by saying that some people express their thoughts verbally and some in writing. Well, I am a bit of both as I love to express my feelings towards the person in both ways. For this Uncle of mine, this is a great way of expressing my sentiments and sharing with the world how blessed I am to be his niece.
Born into a family that loves reading and who are literally walking, talking encyclopedias, I acknowledge that reading is in my blood. It became a joke in the family that “if somebody wants to meet my father or uncles, he would probably need a full day to enjoy their company, not just few hours.” Why is that? You must be wondering! The reason is they are jam-packed with not just worldly knowledge but with lots of practical experiences in life and they all yearn to share them. One has to have a genuine excuse to leave early. I have been fortunate to be raised in a diverse environment where teaching and reading were important.
Sajjad Uncle is not just an uncle for me but a father figure. I might be his late brother Imtiaz Sipra’s youngest daughter but living under his loving care for the past many years since the passing away of my parents, has made me the person I am today, confident, bold and caring and I can proudly say, I am his favourite. He can listen to my outbursts very patiently, give me feedback, narrate stories and most importantly, feel proud of my accomplishments.
Too many stories to share but there are some that are still fresh in my mind as if it happened today. My uncle never got married as he was the son who promised his parents that he would take care of his siblings as long as he lives. They were 9 siblings, 4 sisters and 5 brothers and you can imagine what a big family it would be, not to forget nieces and nephews. Well, he kept his promise looking after their needs even when everyone was married and had their own families.
My family used to live in Karachi when I was very young and every summer, Sajjad Uncle used to visit us there. He would bring books, movies for us to watch and one movie which we thoroughly enjoyed was Amitabh Bachchan’s “Khuddar.” There is a song in the movie, “ angrazi main kehtay hain,” and he would be humming it all day long. Another of his favourites was “ Silsila.” That was the time when I came to know that he is a pretty jovial kind of a person and not a strict one. Then there is another memory where he made listen to the singer Bobby Mcferrin’s song “Don’t worry, be happy.” There are countless other songs, movies and books too.
When my mother passed away in 1996 and 3 years later father died, my siblings and I had no place which we could call “HOME,” as our parent’s house where we lived as a family was gone forever. The helplessness, the emptiness was there. Where should we go to have tears wiped away, have our heart to heart conversations! Sajjad Uncle stepped in and welcomed us with open arms and not to forget my two lovely aunts Razia and Zohra who became our Godmothers. Yes, there were other people too to support us in every way they could.
After my marriage (my hubby is his choice) and since coming to Canada, I have tried to call him every weekend. Rain or shine, I have to call him and if I don’t, he calls. He is the only uncle I have now so my feelings for him have no boundaries. I hate to see him sitting alone in his bedroom when everyone around him is either busy or …. I know with old age, he has become stubborn but doesn’t mean that people keep their distance. I wish I was there so I could enjoy his company but I am far away. I managed to visit him in April when he underwent surgery. He has done so much for his nieces and nephews and it is high time we do something for him. Spend some time with him. Joke with him and cherish the time and take children and grandchildren with us when we visit him.
In the end, I can only say that God has stopped making this kind of people who were genuine, kind and selfless. Please make a special prayer for his wellbeing.

Photograph shared by Amna Ali

Comment from Bibi Lee, Sajjad Sipra’s niece living in United States, upon reading the family history:

“Was a lovely read. Learned so much about my family!”

Comment received on January 12th. 2025 from Shoaib Khan upon hearing of Justice Sipra’s demise.

“I was Justice Sahb’s driver from 2019 to 2024. I remember him as the most generous, loving and caring person not just to his relatives but also to his employees. I always find him concerned about his employee’s health, family, behaviour and their financial issues. He was always there to help everyone when no one else was there. I hold him in very high esteem and respect. He dealt with his health issues very bravely. Even in the toughest times he doesn’t like to bother anyone. I think whomever met him even for a moment can’t forget him so easily. He was truly a saviour of all mankind by all means. May Allah bless him with the highest rank in jannah. Miss you always Judge Sahb.” – Shaoib Khan