PESHAWAR, March 9: The NWFP advocate-general on Tuesday faced an awkward situation as a deputy advocate-general appointed recently did not possess practising licence of the high court.

A high court bench took exception to the appointment of a lawyer not having a high court licence as deputy advocate-general and inquired from Advocate-General Jehanzeb Raheem about it.

It is learnt that the advocate-general's office has been facing problems since the appointment of 10 additional and deputy advocates-general, nine of whom are believed to be affiliated with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl). A majority of them have not practised in the high court.

Sources said the advocate-general could not go to the Supreme Court for defending the provincial government in various cases during the last two days as he had to remain here due to the appointment of inexperienced people on key posts.

Previously, the advocate-general assigned cases to the additional and deputy advocates-general for the high court and himself visited the Supreme Court for defending the provincial government.

Provincial Law Secretary Amir Gulab Khan discussed the situation with Mr Raheem on Tuesday. According to sources, the advocate-general told the secretary that he did not know how to handle the situation as he was not taken into confidence before the appointments were made.

"One of the deputy advocates-general was even not aware about the preparation of comments on a petition," sources said. On Tuesday a bench comprising Justice Tariq Pervez and Justice Dost Mohammad Khan waited for Deputy Advocate-General Faridullah Shaal to appear in a case. He was present in the court but was reluctant to appear.

A state counsel in another case, Shahnawaz Khan, requested the court to adjourn the hearing as the deputy advocate-general was not feeling well. When the DAG appeared on the orders of a judge and the court inquired from him about his licence, he said he did not have one.

The bench summoned the advocate-general and asked him how a DAG could represent the provincial government without a high court licence. It asked the advocate-general how many of the new additional and deputy advocates-general did not have high court licences.