Latif Khosa

Latif Khosa (born 25 July 1946) is a Pakistani lawyer and politician who is an advocate in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He served as the Governor of Punjab from 2011 to 2013. He is the incumbent Member of National Assembly Pakistan from NA-122 Lahore since 10 February 2024. He was a senator from 2003 to 2009, the attorney general of Pakistan in 2008 to 2009 and the Federal advisor of Information Technology & Telecommunication from 2009 to 2010. Khosa also remained a member of the Pakistan Bar Council and served as its Executive Committee's chairman. He co-authored an electoral fraud report with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto shortly before her assassination in December 2007. Khosa had been one of Bhutto's aides. Khosa joined PTI in 2023.

He belongs to a Saraiki-speaking family of the Khosa Baloch tribe. Latif Khosa is the founder of Khosa Law Chambers (KLC), a law firm based in Lahore.

Education
After receiving his early education from Dera Ghazi Khan Punjab, he joined Government College, Lahore from where he did his graduation. During his stay at Government College, he showed excellent results in debate, sports and academics.

After graduation, he joined the Punjab University Law College at Lahore, where he became President of the Punjab University Law College Students Union, and the editor of Law college's official magazine, "Al-Meezan". He was declared the best English debater of 1967 in the Punjab University after winning the "Krishan Kishore Grover Goodwill Gold Medal Declamation Contest". Later, he was selected as the president of PULC debating society. He did his LL.B in 1967 with a top honours for best all round activities in academics, sports and debates.

Professional career


Latif Khosa joined the legal profession at Lahore and enrolled as an advocate of the subordinate Courts in 1968. In 1970, he became an advocate of the High Court and in 1980 as an advocate of the Supreme Court.

During the years 1981; 1983 & 1985, Latif Khosa was elected as the President of High Court Bar Association Multan. In 1990, Khosa was elected as Member Pakistan Bar Council for the first time and subsequently for 2 more terms in 1995 & 2000.

Political career
He has held the portfolios of a Senator (2003-2009), Attorney General (2008-2009) in the Government of Pakistan, Advisor/Federal Minister (2010). He also remained Governor of Punjab (2011-2013) and most recently as Member National Assembly Pakistan from NA-122 Lahore since 8 February; 2024.

Khosa was active in the 2007 lawyer's movement for the restoration of dozens of senior judges including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry sacked by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2007.

Senator Khosa appeared before the acting Chief Justice Javaid Iqbal in a hearing over the handling of the Iftikhar Chaudry sacking issue.

Khosa has spoken for rule of law and rights of minorities. In 1967 he supported Zulfikar Ali Bhutto against the military dictator Ayub Khan. From 1977 onwards, he supported Benazir Bhutto against the military dictators Zia ul Haq and Pervaiz Musharraf. Khosa was not critical of the military's interference in politics when Imran Khan was widely seen as military's "puppet" in what analysts described as a "hybrid military regime" after the 2018 elections. After Imran fell out of favour with the military, however, Khosa started criticising the military's role in politics.

Governor Punjab
He was appointed as Governor of Punjab in January 2011. The choice of his selection as Governor came after the PPP acquiesced to the PML-N's 10-point agenda to improve relationship between PML(N)'s Punjab Government and that of the PPP federal government.

Khosa has been the key instrument in smooth running of the Punjab Government during his governorship 2011-2013 in spite of issues between the two mainstream political parties PPP (Pakistan People's Party) and PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz)

Secretary General PPP
Khosa was appointed as the Secretary General of Pakistan Peoples Party in 2013 and he remained on that post until 2017. He is also the Member of CEC Pakistan People's Party. He is the Central Chairman of the party's Lawyer Wing Peoples Lawyers Forum (PLF) and Election Monitoring Cell of Pakistan Peoples Party.

Attorney general
Soon after the PPP came to power after the 2008 elections; Khosa was appointed Attorney-General for Pakistan until 2009. Being attorney general, he represented Pakistan on different International Forums & Judicial Conferences.

Federal Advisor of Information Technology & Communication
He has also been appointed as Advisor of Information Technology/Minister Incharge in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. On 20 July 2010, Advisor to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Information Technology/Minister Incharge Sardar Latif Khosa sent his resignation to the president after developing disagreements with the premier.

Senator
Khosa was elected as Senator from Punjab Province in 2003. His name was nominated by late Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. His senatorship remained in function until 2009.

He has been member of senate Committees for Foreign Affairs, Law Justice and Human Rights, Government Assurances, Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges, Senate House Committee, Devolution Process

Member National Assembly Pakistan
Khosa was elected as Member National Assembly Pakistan in 2024 Pakistani general election from NA-122 Lahore since 8 February 2024. His name was nominated by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He is elected for 5 years term from 2024 to 2029.

Bar politics
Khosa has been very active in bar politics and his group has won important Supreme Court Bar Association and Pakistan Bar Council elections over the last 40 years. He has been selected as the president of High Court Bar thrice (1981; 1983; 1985) and as member Pakistan Bar Council three times 1990-2005 (15 years).

Family
Khosa's Family include former Governor Punjab Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa; former Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa; former Inspector General Police Tariq Khosa; former Chief Secretary Punjab Nasir Khosa and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.

Khosa has 4 sons and 3 daughters. Three of his sons including Sardar Khurram Latif Khosa, Balakh Sher Khosa & Shahbaz Khosa are Advocates Supreme Court of Pakistan. One of his son Dr Faisal Khosa is a renowned Medical Specialist; based in North America.