Anwar Mansoor steps down as attorney general

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Anwar Mansoor Khan resigned on Thursday as the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) after the Pakistan Bar Council demanded of the top law officer to quit.

Mansoor Khan’s resignation came after the Supreme Court admonished him on Wednesday and ordered him to either submit evidence or a written apology about his controversial comments about sitting judges during the hearing of Justice Qazi Faez Isa case earlier this week. The directive was issued by a 10-judge bench led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial during the hearing of Justice Isa’s petition challenging the presidential reference against him over alleged non-disclosure of assets in his wealth statement.

In his resignation submitted to President Dr Arif Alvi, Mansoor Khan stated: “I note with profound regret that the Pakistan Bar Council of which I am the Chairman has demanded through its Press Release dated 19th of February 2020 that I resign forthwith from the Office of the Attorney General for Pakistan.

“Being a life member of Karachi Bar Association, Sindh Bar Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association and having previously served as the Advocate General Sindh the Attorney General for Pakistan and a judge of the High Court of Sindh, I stand with my brothers and colleagues at the Bar and I wish to reaffirm my faith in the highest principles of integrity and professional excellence that the Pakistan Bar Council has always stood for.

“Accordingly, I hereby resign from the position of the Attorney General for Pakistan and request you to accept it with immediate effect. In the last year and a half I worked to the best of my ability to serve this solemn office with honesty of purpose and commitment to upholding the Constitution.

“I wish my successor the very best of success and pray that God may continue to shower His countless blessings on our motherland and nation.”

Meanwhile, the federal government distanced itself from the statement given by Mansoor Khan on Tuesday. The law ministry submitted a response on behalf of the government on Thursday, stating the verbal statement made by Mansoor Khan was unauthorised and without instructions and knowledge of the federal government and totally uncalled for.

It pointed out federal government and the answering respondents held the superior judiciary in the highest respect and esteem. “Accordingly, the federal government and the answering respondents dissociate themselves from the statement of the learned attorney general,” the response read. “The federal government and the answering respondents verily believe in the rule of law, constitutionalism and the independence of judiciary,” it added.

The response was submitted to the court by Law and Justice Division Secretary Muhammad Khashih-ur-Rehman, conveying the positions of President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Law Minister Farogh Naseem on the matter. According to a private TV channel, Law Minister Dr Naseem maintained the federal government had asked Mansoor Khan to quit. The law minister said the government respects courts and maintained Mansoor Khan gave statement before the Supreme Court without the government’s permission while representing it. He said the government had told Mansoor Khan that it would be better if he submits his resignation himself. According to Geo News, the government has decided to appoint Barrister Khalid Javed Khan as the new AGP.