Akhund Forbes > Karachi, Pakistan > Firm Profile
Akhund Forbes Offices
D-21, BLOCK 4, CLIFTON
KARACHI 75600
Pakistan
- Go to...
- Rankings
Akhund Forbes > The Legal 500 Rankings
Pakistan > Capital markets Tier 1
The capital markets practice at Akhund Forbes is known for its work on various high-value and complex transactions. It is adept at advising on a myriad of issues such as share dealings, stock exchange regulations and securities regulatory matters. Other strengths lie in advising on public debt issues including bonds and sukuks as well as on REITS, as well as equity work including IPOs and rights issues. Rabel Akhund is a seasoned practitioner in this area. Sahar Iqbal specialises in capital markets work and mutual funds work and has a following among Pakistan's asset managers.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Professional team with timely assistance / legal guidance’.
‘A competent team that has an understanding of the issues and is proficient with the business knowledge and its teamwork. Moreover, the effortless working environment and the way that it maintains its business relationships with clients make them competitively stronger‘.
Key clients
Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management
MCB Arif Habib Investments and Savings Limited
UBL Fund Managers Limited
NBP Fund Management Limited
Habib ADM Limited
Privatisation Commission, Government of Pakistan
National Investment Trust Limited
King & Wood Mallesons
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP
Credit Suisse
Elixir Securities (Private) Limited
Datang Pakistan Karachi Power Generation (Pvt.) Limited
K-Electric YesAbraaj Pakistan Private Limited
Arif Habib Limited
Work highlights
- Continuing to provide regular and comprehensive advice to UBL Fund Management Limited, NBP Fund Management Limited and MCB Arif Habib Savings and Investment Limited on various matters in relation to their business.
- Advising National Investment Trust Limited on launching its first ever Exchange Traded Fund in Pakistan.
- Successfully advised Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management on amending its constitutional documents and liaising with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to bring them into line with the revised REIT Regulations.
Pakistan > Corporate and M&A Tier 1
The corporate and commercial department at Akhund Forbes is thriving as it continues to work on an array of high-value and complex matters. Head of department Rabel Akhund is working on a number of significant deals – his clients include some of the largest companies and financial institutions locally and internationally. Akhund has considerable expertise in various sectors such as power, telecoms, construction and financial services. Sahar Iqbal is also highly regarded for her work in numerous private equity deals, M&As and joint venture agreements. Iqbal heads the joint venture practice and is also skilled at advising on capital markets matters. In addition she is adept at advising on issues in the telecoms sector. The group regularly works with some major international law firms too.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They are very flexible and open to alternative billing methods. They are responsive and efficient with their work. They are accommodating and always willing to jump on a call to handle issues and questions that arise on an urgent basis. They are knowledgeable and their advice is pragmatic. They are solutions orientated. They are invested in the success of our business’.
Key clients
Edotco Group SDN Berhad
Kojima Law Offices
Applus
Aisha Steel Mills Limited
Arif Habib Group
Edotco Pakistan (Private) Limited
Edotco Towers (Private) Limited
Zhong Lun Law Firm
Cheez Group, Shanghai
Cheezmall (Private) Limited
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Stanley Electronic CO., LTD
THAI STANLEY ELECTRIC PUBLIC CO., LTD.
Facebook Inc.
Indus Associated Consultants
Latham & Watkins LLP
Privatisation Commission, Government of Pakistan
Norton Rose Fulbright
Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. Ltd
China Power Hub Generation Company (Pvt.) Limited
Zhong Lun law firm
MCB Arif Habib Savings and Investments Limited
UBL Fund Managers Limited
NBP Fund Management Limited
Novartis Pharma Pakistan Limited
Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
Jun He Law Offices
House of Habib
The Abraaj Group
Adidas
Al Tamimi & Co.
Allied Advertising Group LLC
TM Lewin
Gemini Office Holdings Limited
Stevens and Bolton LLP
Weye Cement and Construction Materials (Private) Limited
Rukula
Rotopack
Elixir Securities Pakistan Limited
Saudi Research Publishing Company
Media Arabia Limited
Vox Asia Productions (SMC Private Limited)
Osborne Clarke
InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd
Kantoor van Notaris Jean-Philippe Claesen
Sumitomo Chemical Asia Pte Ltd
Nawan Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd.
Caterpillar
McKinsey & Company Pakistan (Private) Limited
K Electric
QIMA Limited
Kumon Institute of Education Co., Ltd.
Pakistan Catalyst Fund
JS Bank Limited
DeHeng Law Offices
Bayer Pakistan (Private) Limited
VIKOR Healthcare (Pvt.) Limited
Deutsche Bank AG Dubai (DIFC) Branch Legal
Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company (Private) Limited
Credit Suisse (Schweiz) AG
DFDL (Thailand) Limited
True Digital Co Ltd
Lumen
SMS Chemicals Industries Private Limited
Work highlights
- Advising the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan, as Pakistan legal counsel, on the privatisation of two RLNG based power plants in what will be the largest ever privatisation (in the power sector) through a strategic sale expected to yield around $2bn.
- Advising on closing Novartis Pharma Pakistan Limited`s asset acquisition from Bayer Pakistan Private Limited. This matter is important because the client (Novartis Pharma Pakistan Limited and Bayer Pakistan Private Limited) and the target are leading pharma companies globally and the team was instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills LLP as the international counsel.
- Successfully advised Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company on the first of its kind multi-million dollar investment in Planet N, a leading start-up aggregator company in Pakistan. This is the first time that a Pakistani financial institution has invested in a start-up aggregating business in Pakistan.
Pakistan > Labour and employment Tier 1
The employment and labour law practice at Akhund Forbes is thriving. It continues to advise various local, national and international clients on a range of issues. The capable team has been busy too in drafting HR policies and continues to work with some major international law firms on a variety of local law issues. Head of department is Sahar Iqbal is a highly-regarded practitioner.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘They are very flexible and open to alternative billing methods. They are responsive and efficient with their work. They are accommodating and always willing to jump on a call to handle issues and questions that arise on an urgent basis. They are knowledgeable and their advice is pragmatic. They are solutions orientated. They are invested in the success of our business’.
Key clients
MCB-Arif Habib Savings and Investments Limited
DLA Piper Middle East LLP
UBL Fund Managers Limited
China Power Generation Hub Company
Saudi Research Publishing Company
Media Arabia Pvt Limited
Zoetis Inc.
Allied Advertising LLC
Deutsche Bank
Adidas AG
Osborne Clarke
Cialfo Pte Ltd
Baker & McKenzie LLP
AEI Legal
Mavenir
Microsoft
Proofpoint
Sumitomo
CZEC
Novartis Pakistan
Cisco
Kumon Institute if Education Co., Ltd
Karachi Down Syndrome Program
D1 Brands
Work highlights
- Advised China Power Generation Hub Company on the applicability of provisions of labour and employment in relation to payments to employees from workers participation fund and workers welfare fund.
- Advising MCB Arif Habib Savings and Investment Limited and UBL Fund Managers Limited on an almost daily basis, on a wide range of labour law and employment matters, employment agreements and legal enquiries on key points of law.
- Updating Mavenir’s standard employment contract and HR policies in-line with the applicable labour laws.
Pakistan > TMT Tier 1
The TMT department at Akhund Forbes is known for its work in high-value and complex transactions. It is adept at advising on all aspects of technology work and the team is increasingly advising foreign businesses on their proposed business activities in Pakistan. Names to note are the heads of the department Rabel Akhund and Sahar Iqbal. Many instructions come from leading international firms.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Have had a good experience working with the team; have found them to have good understanding of law, commercial realities and interests, great negotiation skills and work ethics’.
‘Akhund Forbes stands out for its professionalism. All the contracts were delivered at the time given, all deadlines met, the team was highly accessible and would be there to attend to calls and answer any query at any given time. This is a great attribute that makes them stand out from all others. Further their negotiation skills and understanding of the practical realities is very sound that has helped immensely in our projects’.
‘They are very flexible and open to alternative billing methods. They are responsive and efficient with their work. They are accommodating and always willing to jump on a call to handle issues and questions that arise on an urgent basis. They are knowledgeable and their advice is pragmatic’.
Key clients
Edotco Group SDN Berhad
NBP Fund Management Limited
Baker & McKenzie LLP
MCB Arif Habib Investments and Savings Limited
Edotco Pakistan (Private) Limited
Edotco Towers (Private) Limited
Allied Advertising LLC
OPay China Yes Applus
Mastercard
Facebook Inc.
Saudi Research Publishing Company
Media Arabia Limited
Vox Asia Productions (SMC Private Limited)
UBL Fund Managers Limited
Central Depository of Pakistan Limited
Association of Builders and Developers
Nawan Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd.
Addleshaw Goddard
British American Tobacco Plc
Simmons & Simmons
Work highlights
- Advising Facebook on the regulatory landscape of the provision of telecommunications and IT services in Pakistan.
- Advising Facebook on their first ever foreign lending/debt funding in Pakistan to Naya Tel (Pvt) Ltd, a telecoms operator in Pakistan.
- Advised MCB Arif Habib Savings and Investment Limited on a wide variety of matters to enable the client to provide quicker and more efficient financial services to its customers and contribute to the dynamic capital markets of Pakistan, including on the first of its kind social media app to assist members to manage their committees (pooling of money).
Pakistan > Banking and finance Tier 2
Akhund Forbes is known for its work on a variety of high-value and complex transactions. Rabel Akhund heads the team and works with some of the largest companies and financial institutions in Pakistan and beyond. Sahar Iqbal is also recommended. The practice has a solid reputation for its work on asset finance and is also well-regarded for its real estate financing advice, as it frequently works with many property developers.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is very good, in terms of legal quality and communication efficiency. Rabel Z. Akhund Solicitor (England & Wales) Advocate (Pakistan) Founder and Managing Partner‘.
Key clients
Act Polyols (Pvt) Limited
Bank of Punjab
Arif Habib Group
edotco Group Sdn Berhad
Edotco Pakistan (Private Limited)
Aisha Steel Mills Limited
Mastercard
Deutsche Bank
Clifford Chance Pte Ltd
Credit Suisse
Datang Pakistan Karachi Power Generation (Pvt.) Limited
K-Electric Limited
China Development Bank
Habib ADM Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Credit Suisse (Singapore) Limited, as Pakistani counsel, as lender to the Ministry of Finance of Pakistan on the latest in a series of Credit Suisse-MoF financings.
- Advising Facebook on its first ever foreign lending/debt funding in Pakistan to Naya Tel (Pvt) Ltd, a telecoms operator in Pakistan.
- Advised Aisha Steel Mills Limited on multi-million dollar vendor financing to enable the client to manufacture steel and steel products in Pakistan, including rendering a legal opinion on the Pakistan law aspects of the transaction and advising on the regulatory compliance required for the transaction.
Pakistan > Projects and energy Tier 2
Akhund Forbes is recommended for its work on a variety of complex projects that frequently have a multi-jurisdictional dimension. It is active in a number of sectors including infrastructure, mining and minerals as well as in the energy sector. It is skilled at advising on all aspects of these projects including the financial and regulatory issues that arise during these projects. Rabel Akhund heads the department, which also includes Sahar Iqbal.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is responsive and professional.’
‘Rabel Z. Akhund is an excellent partner who always provides timely, professional and thoughtful advices. Rabel is professional, easy to communicate, responses are timely.’
‘Unique documentation and negotiations with multiple stakeholders are common in energy projects in Pakistan. The team at Akhund Forbes is thorough in Pakistani law, they are very good in drafting various instruments and they are good negotiators. They also understand the working of public sector agencies of Pakistan relating to the power sector‘.
‘Rabel Akhund and Sahar Iqbal have been outstanding in the provision of professional support to the project. Professionalism is their main attribute and distinguishes them from their competitors‘.
Key clients
Privatisation Commission, Government of Pakistan
Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. Ltd
China Power Hub Generation Company (Private) Limited
Zhong Lun Law Firm
Government of Sindh (Karachi Circular Railway)
Weye Cement and Construction Materials (Private) Limited
Gemini Office Services UK Limited
edotco Pakistan Pvt Limited
Edotco Group SDN Berhad
Edotco Towers (Private) Limited
JunHe LLP
Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited
Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan
InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd
Bank of Shanghai , Beijing Branch
Baker & McKenzie
China Development Bank
FenXun Partners
China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co.Ltd.
THAI STANLEY ELECTRIC PUBLIC CO., LTD.
Stanley Electronic CO., LTD
China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC)
Sindh Solid Waste Management Board
Work highlights
- Advising the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan on the privatisation of two RLNG based power plants in a privatisation expected to raise $2bn.
- Advised Sinosure in connection with 2 billion dollar plus energy projects, one of which is a major hydropower project and the other is one of the largest coal mining and mine-mouth power generation project in Pakistan.
- Advising Sindh Solid Waste Management Board on the legal aspects of the proposed integrated solid waste management project for selected districts of Karachi as well as Larkana, Gari Khuda Baksh and Mohenjodaro.
- Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A
- Labour and employment
- TMT
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Banking and finance
- Projects and energy