ISLAMABAD: The names finalised by the law ministry for the replacement of dozens of law officers deputed at the Supreme Court and the provincial and Islamabad high courts has been stopped by the office of the prime minister following objections from PTI’s legal wing, the Insaf Legal Forum (ILF).

The forum has said that its members have been deprived their share of the appointments.

These posts are currently occupied by officers appointed by the last PML-N government. A new government typically replaces the entire legal team that served under the previous one with loyal officers who will handle cases in the superior judiciary.

Although a couple of members of the forum have been accommodated in the appointments, the ILF has expressed resentment to Prime Minister Imran Khan. As a result, the summary for the appointments that was forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office last week has not been approved so far.

The process to appoint an additional attorney general, deputy attorney general and assistant attorney general was previously delayed by a couple of months because of differences between the law ministry and the attorney general’s office.

Insaf Legal Forum raises objections, says members have been deprived their share of posts

Sources privy to the development told Dawn that appointments in the provincial high courts were being made in consultation with senior PTI leader Hamid Khan, but lawyers were selected not on the basis of party loyalty but their association with professional lawyers’ groups.

Likewise in the centre, lawyers recommended by the law ministry have been shortlisted under the same criteria for posts that will fall vacant when dozens of officers appointed under the last government are removed.

The PML-N lawyers’ forum also expressed reservations under the PML-N government, which gave the lion’s share of posts to lawyers close to Hamid Khan’s professional group.

Proposals for law officers in the Islamabad High Court and SC were put forward by senior lawyers in the capital, sources said.

According to the summary sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, the ministry recommended Khurram Saeed for the post of additional attorney general, and Chaudhry Mohammad Hussain, Faysal Ali Qazi, Niazullah Niazi and Khawaja Imtiaz for deputy attorney general.

Mr Niazi belongs to the PTI, while Mr Imtiaz served as assistant attorney general under the PML-N.

For assistant attorney general, the ministry recommended Faisal Mehmood Raja, Zeeshanul Haq, Tahir Mehmood, Syed Nazar Hussain Shah, S.M. Raza, Mohammad Ovis Qarni, Mohammad Javed Iqbal, Chaudhry Abdul Jabbar, Farah Naz Awan, Mohammad Abdul Rafeh, Saqlain Haider Awan, Islam Sandhu, Ghulam Mehboob Khokhar and Naheed Semi.

A senior law officer told Dawn that some of the proposed individuals are not practicing lawyers, and one of the people recommended for the post of assistant attorney general – an official equivalent to BPS-20 – runs a real estate office in I-8.

The summary forwarded to the prime minister requests that he “advise the president to accord approval to the proposals”.

A senior law ministry officer said the names for the posts were finalised after due diligence and with the consent of the attorney general.

ILF Islamabad chapter president Raja Aftab, however, remarked that lawyers who had stood with the party for the rule of law were ignored. He added that the matter had been brought to Mr Khan’s knowledge, and he had assured the forum he would personally look into it.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2018