6KBW College Hill

When appointed Junior Treasury Counsel in 1997, Aftab became the first member of any ethnic minority to be so appointed in the one hundred and thirty eight year history of Treasury Counsel. He was appointed Senior Treasury Counsel just four years later. Aftab appeared primarily at the Central Criminal Court, dealing with a wide range of some of the most high-profile cases in the country. They include terrorism, secrets, murder, corruption, and homicide-related medical negligence. Notable cases have included the Greek Embassy Siege, the Afghan Airlines Hijack, the British Aerospace Secrets trials, and the trial of the Pakistani Cricketers’ spot-fixing at Lords. Homicide cases have included the first British cannibal killings, the Harrow school killing; the 30 year old cold-case review triple murder of the family of the first black footballer to play for England; the Thames speed boat killing and the manslaughter case of 39 Vietnamese immigrants arising from a people- smuggling operation. He has advised on allegations of war crimes involving British soldiers.

In addition to being renowned as a formidable and “brilliant” cross-examiner, Aftab is regularly instructed to argue matters of law in the Appellate jurisdiction, including the House of Lords (R v Webber; R v Benson), and R v Smith in the Supreme Court. He has successfully intervened in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division), reinforcing the scope and availability of Private prosecutions (Scopelight Ltd v Chief Constable of Northumbria, reaffirmed by the Supreme Court as the authoritative judgement on the subject). Aftab was recently instructed in a long-running private prosecution concerning parties who had been involved in litigation in the Commercial Court.

Fraud cases have included a long-standing involvement as Lead Counsel into the inquiry against Lloyds Bank and HBOS concerning the manipulations of both the Libor rate, and the Repo rate – the latter involving  repayments to the Bank of England`s Special Liquidity Scheme and  election fraud at the 2015 General Election.

Having been described in the recent past in Chambers and Partners as “for some, the most feared prosecutor in the country” and “stunning”, Aftab has brought this formidable talent to defending. His Defence practice includes both advisory and trial work concerning allegations of business-related crime, as well as a wide variety of sensitive criminal and regulatory matters. Very recent cases include a £35 million Brazilian teak forest investment scheme; and an allegation concerning an £85 million Post Office fraud.

Aftab is a past committee member of the Criminal Bar Association, and of the Professional Conduct Committee of the Bar.

Aftab created the template for the presentation of complex mobile phone and cell-site evidence, which has since been adopted nation-wide, for both prosecuting and defending.

Aftab was listed by The Times as being one of the country’s top ten criminal barristers at/under the age of fifty.

Called 1980.

Junior Treasury Counsel 1997.

Senior Treasury Counsel 2011.

Queen's Counsel 2008.