Mansoor Usman Awan assumes charge as Attorney General for Pakistan

He has replaced Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Mansoor Usman Awan on Tuesday assumed charge as new Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) a day after President Arif Alvi approved his appointment.

He is expected to represent the government in the Supreme Court in a constitutional petition filed by the PTI over delay in polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It would be his first assignment as AGP.

A day earlier, President Alvi accepted the resignation of Shehzad Ata Elahi from the post of Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) and approved the name of Mansoor Usman Awan for the coveted post.

The Ministry of Law and Justice subsequently notified Awan as the new AGP. The president approved the appointment on the advice of prime minister under article 100.

He was also previously nominated for the post last year but denied saying, “Due to unavoidable professional commitments, I will be unable to serve as the AGP at this time”.

Mr Awan holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Harvard Law School USA, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Punjab where he stood first.

Ex AGP denied rumors that he was asked to leave the office and added he was requested by the government ministers to stay in the office and therefore he handed his resignation to the senior cabinet member so that the government can send it to the president at an opportune time.

Earlier Rana Sanaullah in an interview with a private news channel told that government asked Mr Elahi to resign from the office because the former AGP was not able to present government's stance in courts in an effective manner.