May 12, Colombo (LNW): Justice M.T. Mohamed Laffar officially commenced duties as Sri Lanka’s Consul General-designate in Jeddah this week, beginning his diplomatic role with a ceremonial event held at the Consulate General premises in Saudi Arabia.
The occasion, attended by consular officials and staff members, marked the formal start of his tenure representing Sri Lanka in the Kingdom’s western region, home to a significant Sri Lankan expatriate community.
Addressing officials following the ceremony, Justice Laffar stressed the importance of delivering efficient consular assistance and strengthening welfare services for Sri Lankan workers and residents living in Jeddah and surrounding areas. He also highlighted the need to deepen commercial cooperation between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia, particularly in the areas of trade, investment and labour relations.
With more than three decades in the judiciary, Justice Laffar enters the diplomatic service with extensive legal and administrative experience. Prior to his appointment, he served as Acting President of the Court of Appeal and previously held the post of Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission. He has also contributed to legal education as a visiting lecturer at Sri Lanka Law College.
His judicial career has been widely recognised for its emphasis on efficiency and reducing delays within the legal system. In one notable instance in 2007, he reportedly delivered 120 court orders and judgments in a single day, an achievement regarded as exceptional within the judiciary.
Justice Laffar is an alumnus of the University of Peradeniya, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later earned his law degree from the Open University of Sri Lanka. He qualified as an Attorney-at-Law through Sri Lanka Law College and received his early education at Vivekananda National School in Colombo and Al Mubarak National School in Malwana.