ISLAMABAD: Even as the appointment of incumbent Federal Prosecutor General (PG) Ghulam Sarwar Nihang as an additional judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) awaits presidential approval, the race to succeed him has already begun with at least four senior lawyers emerging as strong contenders.
Sources familiar with the development told Dawn that senior lawyers Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi, Barrister Qazi Adil Aziz, Akhtar Cheena and Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed Jajja are vying for the post of the federal prosecutor general.
Although Mr Nihang has yet to be formally denotified, the process of identifying his successor has gathered pace within official circles.
Sources said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was expected to make the final decision on the appointment once Mr Nihang is relieved of his present office.
The issue assumed significance after Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed Jajja, who was appointed Special Prosecutor on July 23, was given the look-after charge of the federal prosecutor general’s office on July 28.
The arrangement, however, triggered controversy within the prosecution department. The district prosecutor, regarded as the senior-most officer after the federal prosecutor general, approached the Ministry of Interior, arguing that a special prosecutor could not legally be entrusted with the administrative charge of the office since such appointments are ordinarily made for specific cases rather than regular administrative responsibilities.
Mr Nihang is among the 19 judicial nominees recommended by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) for appointment as additional judges in the four high courts. However, the appointments have yet to materialise as President Asif Ali Zardari has not accorded assent to the recommendations, delaying the formal notification of the judges-designate.
Among the leading contenders, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi is a well-known criminal lawyer associated with the Rawalpindi District Bar Association. He served as special prosecutor in the high-profile Cipher case against former prime minister Imran Khan alongside Barrister Umair Majeed Malik.
Interestingly, Barrister Malik is himself awaiting presidential approval after the JCP recommended his appointment as an additional judge of the Islamabad High Court.
Another prominent candidate, Barrister Qazi Adil Aziz, has previously served as both member and vice chairman of the Islamabad Bar Council. His candidature has reportedly been endorsed by the Islamabad District Bar Association, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and the Islamabad Bar Council. He also remained associated with the law firm of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court and former Lahore High Court judge Chaudhry Abdul Aziz.
Advocate Akhtar Cheena is also under consideration, although sources described him as relatively junior to some of the other candidates.
Meanwhile, questions have also been raised over Mr Jajja’s eligibility for permanent appointment, as he reportedly does not fulfil the statutory minimum age requirement of 45 years prescribed for the office of the federal prosecutor general. Despite holding the look-after charge, officials said the age criterion could become a decisive factor when the government makes the final appointment.
Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026
