PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has de-notified an additional advocate general, Noroz Khan, who was at the centre of a controversy related to a recent hearing of a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf central leader Mohammad Atif Khan in Peshawar High Court.

A notification was issued by the secretary law department stating that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister had de-notified/dispensed with the services of additional advocate general, Noroz Khan, in exercise of his powers under section 3(2) of the KP Appointment of Law Officers Act.

The recent controversy had emerged amidst reports of internal rifts in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, especially between Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and Mohammad Atif Khan.

Last year, KP anti-corruption establishment issued a call-up notice to Mr Atif asking him to appear in an inquiry regarding alleged irregularities in Malam Jabba land lease and a Mardan private housing society.

The said notice was challenged by Mr Atif in Peshawar High Court, which granted him interim relief on Dec 10, 2024, and suspended the said call-up notice.

The present issue surfaced on March 12, when a bench consisting of Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Farah Jamshed, adjourned hearing of the petition.

The bench stated in its order, “learned counsel for the petitioner as well as learned AAG (additional advocate general) seek time as there is prospect of compromise between the parties”.

The bench had also extended the stay order earlier issued in favour of the petitioner (Mr Atif).

Official sources said that the court order had earned displeasure of the government for Mr Noroz as concerned officials said there was no compromise going on in the matter.

Soon an explanation was sought from him by the KP advocate general, Shah Faisal Uthmankhel.

Mr Noroz in his reply stated that the word ‘compromise’ was used by the petitioner’s side and not by him in the proceedings.

He said he was fully prepared for arguments in the instant petition but the petitioner’s counsel requested for adjournment on the basis of a prospect of compromise, which was accepted by the court.

Furthermore, he said he had never given any statement in favour of the petitioner inside or outside the court. “The undersigned is fully aware of his constitutional role being additional advocate general,” he added.

Official sources said that Mr Noroz was asked to resign from his office, but he had declined following which he was de-notified.

Interestingly, an audio message purportedly of provincial chief of Insaf Lawyers Forum, the lawyers’ wing of PTI, Qazi Mohammad Anwar, also surfaced on social media wherein he was informing Mr Noroz about the displeasure of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur over the hearing in the said case.

Another audio message, purportedly of Mr Noroz, also surfaced in which he was addressing Mr Atif that he had now been asked by Mr Anwar and the advocate general to resign.

In the message, he is requesting Mr Atif that as he has been punished because of him, therefore, he may make a call to Mr Anwar and the AG and ask them as to why he (Noroz) is being targeted.

It is pertinent to mention here that Mr Atif in his petition has requested the high court to quash the notice and declare illegal all actions taken in consequence to the said notice, including any inquiry or investigation.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2025