British Lawyer of Pakistan origin Karim Asad Ahmed Khan has been elected as the new chief prosecutor for the international criminal court (ICC).

According to the media reports, more than 120 countries elected Karim Khan as the next prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

It is regarded as one of the toughest jobs in international law because the tribunal seeks justice for the world’s worst atrocities including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Karim Khan will replace Fatou Bensouda from the Gambia, and as he starts his nine-year term he faces a daunting task.

The secret ballot for the post was the first in the court’s history – and took place amid some controversy and high politics between member states.

Karim Khan, 50, defeated candidates from Ireland, Spain and Italy to win on a second round of voting with support from 72 nations – 10 more than the 62 needed.

Back in 1992, Karim Khan was called to the Bar of England and Wales by Lincoln’s Inn. He later attended Wolfson College at Oxford University for his doctoral studies in law.

Between 1993 and 1996 Khan was a Crown Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service of England and Wales, and a Senior Crown Prosecutor in 1995.

From 1997, Khan worked as a Legal Officer at the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) between 1997 and 1998.

He later served as Legal Adviser at the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) until 2000.

Between 2006 and 2007 Khan was Lead Defence counsel to former President of Liberia Charles Taylor before the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL).

Moreover, Mr. Khan is the author of numerous publications in the field of international criminal justice and human rights.