Khalid Javed Khan appointed attorney general Pakistan

Anwar Mansoor Khan resigned on Thursday after landing in trouble over his contentious remarks about apex court judges

The government on Saturday appointed Karachi-based lawyer Khalid Javed Khan as the new advocate general of Pakistan following the resignation of Anwar Mansoor Khan.

"The president is pleased to appoint Mr Khalid Javed Khan as Attorney General for Pakistan with the rank and status of federal minister with immediate effect," read the notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Anwar stepped down on Thursday after landing in trouble over his contentious remarks about the apex court judges hearing the set of petitions challenging the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan, who tendered his resignation to President Arif Alvi, sealed his fate when he had implied that some members of the bench hearing the Justice Isa case were “privy” to the petition filed by the judge and was also found at a loss for words while defending the federal government in response to the court’s queries.

AGP ‘forced’ to quit over top court faux pas

The chief legal officer’s statement drew the ire of the top judiciary and he was directed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to either submit a written apology or provide evidence to substantiate his claim. Making matters worse for the AGP, the Pakistan Bar Council filed a contempt petition against him as well as the law minister.

In his resignation letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, Anwar wrote that he was a lifetime member of the Karachi, Sindh and Supreme Court bar associations and wanted to “reaffirm 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,” he added.

“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.”

Besides tendering his resignation, Anwar also submitted a written apology to the apex court.

PHOTO: EXPRESS