Disagreement emerges between law ministry and attorney general
Last updated on: 25 February,2020 10:44 am
The law ministry denied reports that it had taken any action for the recruitment of new law officers
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A disagreement has emerged between the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Office of the Attorney General for Pakistan on Tuesday when the former reported that the latter had written a letter without observing proper facts and rules.
Importantly, the law ministry denied reports that it had taken any action for the recruitment of new law officers. However, it maintained that if required, the recruitment process falls within the jurisdiction of the law ministry.
In a letter to the law minister, available with the media, the AG referred to his meeting with the law minister and requested him to issue an appropriate formal clarification at the earliest since a news report had been circulating about the appointment of law officers that had created confusion between the law division and the AG office.
The news report had claimed that the government was trying to appoint new law officers without AG’s consent.
“You would recall that during our meeting earlier today you had clarified that no such action is in the offing and therefore no law officers are being terminated or appointed,” the letter read.
“We had agreed further that we will be working within the prescribed constitutional limits of our respective offices and that no appointments, transfers or other matters relating to the law officers would be taken by the law ministry without prior consent of the AG.”
“Looking forward to a good working relationship between the law and justice division and the office of attorney general for Pakistan within our respective domain,” the letter added.
A copy of the letter was also sent to the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Azam Khan.
Who is Khalid Javed?
On Saturday, Mr Khalid Javed was appointed as the 35th Attorney General for Pakistan after an approval from President Arif Alvi following Anwar Mansoor Khan’s resignation. The designation of the attorney general is equivalent to a federal minister.
Barrister Khalid Javed got his LLB degree from Queen Mary College in London, his B.C.L. from Hertford College, Oxford University, and his LL.M from Harvard Law School. He was also called to bar at Lincoln’s Inn.
Khalid Jawed started practicing law in high court in 1991 and in the Supreme Court in 2004. He previously served as the 33rd Attorney General for Pakistan.