20 Facts About Shibly Aziz

Shibly Aziz served as Attorney General of Sri Lanka from 1995 to 1996 and served in the Constitution Council of Sri Lanka from 2015 to 2018.

Shibly Aziz took oaths in 1968 as an Advocate and was in 1969 appointed a Crown Counsel in the Attorney-General's Department.

Shibly Aziz was promoted to Solicitor General in 1992, and served as Attorney-General from 1995 to 1996.

Shibly Aziz served both the criminal as well as the civil side of the department, but his forte was civil law where he was handpicked to lead the State in several important landmark cases, including appearing in the 13th Amendment Case before the Supreme Court as Junior Counsel to the then Attorney General.

Shibly Aziz negotiated several bilateral air services agreements on behalf of the Government, having participated in over 35 bilateral discussions between Sri Lanka and about 15 countries and in several airline-to-airline discussions on behalf of the Government.

Shibly Aziz facilitated the implementation of changes in the administration and operational systems relating to Colombo International Airport.

Shibly Aziz represented Sri Lanka in a number of international fora, including as the Chief Delegate at the second International Air Transport Conference 1980 ICAO held in Montreal and as a member of the Sri Lanka Delegation to the Conference of the Attorneys General of Asia and the Pacific, held in Colombo in 1985 and in Seoul in 1990.

Shibly Aziz served as a consultant in International Relations and Legal at Airlanka Limited, the national carrier, from 1990 to 1994.

Shibly Aziz was appointed Director, Airport and Aviation Services Limited from 1985 to 1994.

Shibly Aziz was instrumental in drafting legislation in the country, particularly air navigation laws such as the extensive amendments made to the Air Navigation Ordinance.

Shibly Aziz was appointed an independent expert witness on public law in a series of international arbitrations concerning the hedging disputes that were instituted against the Government by a number of international banks.

Shibly Aziz participated in several arbitration matters as a litigator including an arbitration conducted before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes and an arbitration dispute which is regarded as arising out of one of the largest claims against the Government of Sri Lanka.

Shibly Aziz frequently served as an arbitrator in arbitrations held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Shibly Aziz gave evidence at the arbitrations with respect to certain aspects of Sri Lankan and Maldivian Law.

Shibly Aziz was an arbitrator for another international arbitration conducted at KLRCA Malaysia relating to a contractual claim.

Shibly Aziz was a member of the Sri Lanka Law Commission from 1994 to 2003 and 2011 to 2015 and a member of the Council of Legal Education from 1992 to 1996 and 2012.

Shibly Aziz was Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka from 2003 to 2005.

Shibly Aziz was appointed Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority in 2015 in recognition of his wide knowledge of the subject.

Shibly Aziz was a lecturer at Sri Lanka Law College from 1982 to 1988 and a lecturer in shipping and aviation law at the postgraduate diploma course in Trade and Investment Law of the University of Colombo.

Shibly Aziz was voted into office as the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in 2010 and served his maximum tenure in office until 2012.