Zimbabwe nominates Wasi as arbitrator
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights Wasi Zafar has been appointed by the government of Zimbabwe as a member of Arbitral Tribunal which will preside over a Dutch farmers’ case against Zimbabwe filed at International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID).
Other members of the Arbitral Tribunal include, Judge Gilbert Guillaume of France and former Dean at Boston School of Law Ronald Cass. Judge Guillaume, a former president of the International Court ofJustice and a designee of the government of France to the ICSID panel of arbitrators, will preside as the casting vote in the case. The Zimbabwe government appointed Wasi Zafar as their arbitrator whilefarmers chose Cass to represent them. Wasi Zafar commenting on the matter said the appointment is not only matter of personal satisfaction, but also an acknowledgement of the highname of country in comity of nations. “This is first time that any Pakistani has been nominated as anarbitrator by a third country in ICSID arbitration”, he added. ICSID was established in 1966 as an affiliate of the World Bank toprovide facilities for arbitration of disputes between member countries and investors who qualify as nationals of other member countries. The Zimbabwe case is number 74 out of the 104 cases that are before thetribunal. A group of 11 dispossessed Dutch farmers took their case for compensation in respect of confiscated land to the tribunal claiming more than $15 millions.