Law officers’ appointment on political basis: LHC CJ asked for forming larger bench

LAHORE: Justice Shahid Jamil Khan of the Lahore High Court Wednesday recommended the chief justice to constitute a larger bench to hear a petition questioning the appointment of law officers on political grounds.

A lawyer Afzal Azeem Pahat had filed a petition pleading that that Umair Khan Niazi and Anees Hashmi were holding offices of Insaf Lawyers Forum, the lawyers’ wing of the PTI, at the time of their appointment as additional advocate generals on December 7, 2018. His counsel contended that the offices of the additional and assistant generals fell in the definition of Service of Pakistan under Article 240 of the Constitution. He said a person in service of Pakistan could not be a member of any such association or political party. On the last hearing, Justice Khan had expressed concern over political appointments of the law officers in the office of the AGP.