Sahar Ahmed

Biography

Sahar Ahmed is a PhD student supported by a Postgraduate Research Studentship researching the right to freedom of religion within the international human rights legal system and Islamic jurisprudence. Sahar graduated from the University of London’s International Programme in 2010 with an LL.B (Hons) degree. She then went on to undertake the Bar Professional Training Course at The City Law School, London, being called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2011, and is a barrister member of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn. Sahar practiced as a commercial and corporate barrister in Lahore, appearing before the courts as an Advocate of the High Courts of Pakistan, covering a wide range of contentious and quasi-contentious matters. Sahar then studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London), reading for the LLM with a concentration in International Human Rights Law, as an Annemarie Schimmel Scholar, and graduated with distinction in 2015. She was also awarded the School of Law Prize for Best Performing LLM Student. This degree was pursued alongside a research volunteer position at Amnesty International in London, researching human rights violations of religious minorities and the then recent lifting of moratorium on the death penalty in Pakistan, for the Pakistan-Afghanistan Team.

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Professional Qualifications

Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), The City Law School, London, 2011

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Awards

• Postgraduate Research Studentship, Trinity College Dublin, 2016
• Best Performing LLM Student, School of Law, SOAS, University of London, 2015
• Annemarie Schimmel Scholar, 2014-15 (The Annemarie Schimmel Scholarship is an academic scholarship fully funding tuition and living expenses for Graduate Level education. Awarded to one Pakistani woman each year based on academic and other achievements).

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Research Interests

• Human Rights
• Public International Law
• Islamic Law
• Constitutional Law
• International Humanitarian Law
• Non-Discrimination Law

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Education Details

• Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) Candidate - Trinity College, Dublin (2016- present)
• Master of Laws (LLM) - School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (2014-15)
• Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) - The City Law School, City University London (2010-11)
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons) - University of London (2007-10)

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Employment Details

• Seminarist, Constitutional Law II, School of Law, Trinity College Dublin, 2017-
• Consultant, Right to Education Programme (drafting federal and provincial rules/guidelines for the Right to Education Act), Idara-e-Taleem-o-Agahi (Centre of Education and Consciousness), Nov’ 15- Jan’ 16
• Lecturer (Visiting Faculty), Public International Law & Company Law, The Institute of Legal Studies, Lahore (Affiliate Centre for University of London International Programmes), 2012-16
• Legal Associate/Advocate of the High Courts of Pakistan, Hamid Law Associates, Lahore, 2011-16
• Research Volunteer, Amnesty International, London, Feb-Aug 2015

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Memberships /Associations /Representations

• Lahore High Court Bar Association
• Lahore Bar Association
• Punjab Bar Council
• The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn

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Publications

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