A friend of mine, Khawaja Shams Ul Islam, was recently murdered in Karachi. It’s a loss that’s deeply personal — and profoundly unsettling.
Shams wasn’t just another lawyer. He was among the most successful legal minds in the city, commanding fees ranging from 15 to 50 million rupees per case. His courtroom presence was magnetic. His mind, sharp as a scalpel. To watch him argue was to witness brilliance in motion.
But behind that brilliance was a man — flawed, intense, and human. And that’s where the lesson lies.
Shams was murdered by the son of his former gunman. A senseless, brutal act. But one rooted in something as dangerously common as ego, unprocessed anger, and emotional imbalance.
Many remember the now-viral Sea View incident — the one where Shams slapped a police officer and spent a night in jail. It wasn’t an isolated moment. He had a fierce temper, often overwhelming, sometimes destructive. Those close to him knew how harsh he could be with his staff, how unforgiving with those who disappointed him. He pushed boundaries — emotional, professional, and personal.
This is not a judgment. It’s a reflection.
No amount of money, influence, or brilliance can save us from ourselves.
How we treat those who serve us, those who are “beneath us” in title or privilege — it all comes back. Eventually.
Shams spent his life winning battles in court, yet in the end, lost the one within.
Let his legacy be more than legal success. Let it be a reminder to everyone of us:
Master your anger. Soften your ego. Use your power with humility.
Because anger is not strength. Power is not dominance. And ego, ultimately, has a price.
Rest in peace, Shams.
You were one of a kind. And your story — both your brilliance and your tragedy — will stay with me, and I hope, with others too.