ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Saturday asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to expel Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Farogh Naseem, as his role, activities and conduct were aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary and continuity of government. In a statement, Vice Chairman PBC Abid Saqi said the role, conduct and activities of Farogh Naseem were earning a bad name for the government and therefore the prime minister should expel him from the federal cabinet in the larger national interest and continuity of the democratically elected government before it was too late. He welcomed the resignation of Anwar Mansoor Khan from the post of Attorney General for Pakistan, withdrawal of his controversial statement made on February 18 during the hearing of Justice Qazi Faiz Isa’s case by the Supreme Court and apologising to the apex court. He, however, said disclosing certain facts by him while speaking to the media afterwards that his statement before the Supreme Court was in line with the stance of the federal government and the person concerned in the government was fully aware of it was gravely alarming, as it reflected the government’s nefarious designs to humble the judiciary.
Saqi said in view of Farogh Naseem’s dubious past conduct in respect of filing of a reference against Justice Isa and being the lead counsel for General (R) Musharraf in high-treason case and for Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the extension case seemed to a conspiracy against the Judiciary, which needed a thorough investigation by a high-level judicial commission.
He said Farogh Naseem’s past amply reflected that instead of believing in the supremacy of Constitution, the rule of law, democracy and civil authority through a democratic process, he always took pride in supporting and serving undemocratic forces in power.
Meanwhile, the federal government Saturday notified the appointment of Khalid Javed as the new Attorney General for Pakistan.
“In exercise of powers conferred under Article 100(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is pleased to appoint Khalid Javed as Attorney General for Pakistan with the rank and status of Federal Minister with immediate effect,” says a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Anwar Mansoor Khan relinquished the office of AGP in the wake of his controversial statement before the full court on February 18 hearing Justice Isa’s petition, challenging the presidential reference against him.
He alleged that some of the bench members were “privy” to the petition filed by the judge. Similarly, he repeatedly tried to skip queries of members of the full court and consequently the court admonished him for his behavior and observed that he was wasting its time.
The court directed him to provide material in support of his allegations and submit an apology if he failed to do so.
The controversial statement led the PBC to ask him to tender resignation besides moving a contempt petition to the Supreme Court, praying initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Anwar Mansoor Khan and Federal Law Minister and any other person who might have instructed the attorney general to make such statements on behalf of the federation and punish them in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003.
Later on, the federal government while submitting a statement to the Supreme Court on behalf of the president, prime minister, chairman ARU and Federal Minister Farogh Nasim dissociated itself from Anwar Mansoor’s comments and submitted that the remarks were “totally uncalled-for” and passed “without instructions and knowledge of the federal government”.
The other day, Law Minister Farogh Nasim and former attorney general Anwar Mansoor traded serious allegations against each other on the latter’s controversial statement in the Supreme Court during the hearing of a petition filed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, challenging the presidential reference filed against him.
Speaking in Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ hosted by Shahzeb Khanzada, Farogh Nasim said Anwar Mansoor’s version was based on lies and the government had no idea about the allegations against the apex court judges.
He further said the performance of the attorney general was not up to the mark in Justice Faez Isa case and he angered the judges through his bad performance due to which he was asked to resign.
He said Khan would have never been allowed give a statement in the apex court had the government known it before.
According to Shahzeb Khanzada, Anwar Mansoor said whatever he said about the judges in the apex court was in the knowledge of Farogh Nasim and Shahzad Akbar. He said his statement was part of the government strategy.
In another TV interview, Anwar Mansoor Khan said no one from the government had spoken to him; therefore, the question of taking his resignation didn’t arise.
He said everyone in the government was aware of his statement in the court. He categorically denied that he was asked to resign by the government.