Attorney General Anwar Mansoor resigns

Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor resigns.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan has resigned after the Pakistan Bar Council demanded him to quit through its press release yesterday, Dunya News reported on Thursday.

Anwar Mansoor Khan has forwarded his resignation to President Dr. Arif Alvi which states, “I note with profound regret that the Pakistan Bar Council, of which I am the Chairman, has demanded through its Press Release dated 19th of February 2020 that I resign forthwith from the Office of the Attorney-General for Pakistan.

“Being a life member of Karachi Bar Association, Sindh Bar Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association, and having previously served as the Advocate-General Sindh, the Attorney-General for Pakistan and a judge of the High Court of Sindh, I stand with my brothers and colleagues at the Bar and I wish to reaffirm my faith in the highest principles of integrity and professional excellence that the Pakistan Bar Council has always stood for.

“Accordingly, I hereby resign from the position of the Attorney-General for Pakistan and request you to accept it with immediate effect. In the last year and a half, I worked to the best of my ability to serve this solemn office with honesty of purpose, and commitment to upholding the constitution.

“I wish my successor the very best of success and pray that God may continue to shower His countless blessings on our motherland and nation.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has strictly directed the party’s representatives to refrain themselves from passing any comments about the judiciary.

“Uttering profanity against courts will not be tolerated,” PM Imran has said, while warning everyone in his party of severe consequences if “the discipline is violated.”

Law Ministry’s Response

The federal government has distanced itself from the statement given by Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan, a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the AG to tender an apology or present some material to support the remarks he made.

The law ministry has submitted a response on behalf of the government stating that the oral statement made by the AG was “unauthorized, without instructions and knowledge of the federal government and the answering respondents, and totally uncalled for.”

“It is pointed out that the federal government of Pakistan and the answering respondents hold the superior judiciary for Pakistan in the highest respect and esteem.

“Accordingly, the federal government and the answering respondents dissociate themselves from the statement of the learned attorney general,” the response read.

“The federal government and the answering respondents verily believe in the rule of law, constitutionalism and the independence of judiciary,” it added.

Govt Sought AG’s Resignation

On the other hand, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Farogh Naseem confirmed that the federal government had asked Anwar Mansoor to quit.

The law minister said the government respects courts and maintained that Anwar Mansoor gave statement before the Supreme Court (SC) without the government’s permission while representing it.

Barrister Farogh Naseem said the government had told the attorney general that it would be better if he submits his resignation himself.

Anwar Mansoor’s Timeline

On August 31, 2018, Anwar Mansoor was reappointed as the attorney general for the second time. He earlier served in this position during Pakistan Peoples Party’s tenure. He resigned from the post on April 2, 2010.

He was commissioned as an officer in the Pakistan Army in 1971, fought the 1971 war, and resigned in 1973. In 1971, he became a prisoner of war.

In October 2000, he was appointed as the judge of the Sindh High Court, but resigned from the position on Oct 3, 2001, to rejoin law practice.