LAHORE: The Punjab government seems to be least interested in filling the constitutional post of Advocate General Punjab (AGP) with a permanent incumbent as it has notified a junior officer to represent the office of the principal law officer in meetings with the chief minister or any other department.

A memo issued by the law and parliamentary affairs department says, “The chief minister has been pleased to direct that till the appointment of Advocate General Punjab, Mrs Asma Hamid, Additional Advocate General Punjab, shall attend the meetings taken by the chief minister or any other meetings of the government.”

The office of the AGP has been lying vacant since Advocate Naveed Rasool Mirza resigned on Jan 22 citing bad health as the reason.

After the office fell vacant, the government had formed a search committee to find the ‘suitable candidate’ for the AGP. Advocate Mustafa Ramday heads the committee, which is yet to come up with any nominee.

Search panel yet to find suitable candidate

A 2014 judgment of the Lahore High Court’s full bench says the office of the AGP has to be filled within the maximum period of 30 days, whereas 20 days have passed in this case.

The full bench headed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah had directed the government to appoint the AGP in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution within a fortnight declaring the “look-after charge” of the office given to then additional advocate general Mustafa Ramday a violation of the rules.

The bench had also ruled, “The provincial government seems to have encouraged a culture of adhocism in making constitutional appointments, which has no constitutional recognition.” “Adhocism is a malaise, which exploits the system and weakens institutions and is, therefore, abhorred,” the judgment said.

Sources say though additional advocate general Asma Hamid has been nominated to represent the office of the AGP in government meetings, she has assumed the charge of acting AGP unofficially. She even convened a meeting of all law officers on Wednesday and discussed different affairs.

Ms Asma Hamid, daughter of Punjab former governor Shahid Hamid, was appointed as assistant AG in January 2014 and later elevated as additional AG on Feb 18, 2015. Sources say Ms Asma is yet to acquire licence to practice in the Supreme Court.

They say the government did not officially give acting charge of the AGP to the woman law officer to avoid ‘violation’ of the LHC judgment in Mustafa Ramday case. However, she is enjoying the authority of the acting AGP unofficially, they say.

The absence of the permanent principal law officer is affecting affairs of the Punjab Bar Council as the AGP office also has the jurisdiction of ex officio chairman of the provincial bar.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2016