CM forwards summary to remove advocate general

Ahmed Awais alleges president’s authority undermined

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has forwarded a summary to the Punjab governor for the removal of Advocate General Ahmed Awais from the post.

The move came on the day Awais urged the Supreme Court to take notice of alleged undermining of President Arif Alvi's authority.

As per a summary signed by the provincial law secretary, the chief minister asked Additional Advocate General Akhtar Javed to take charge as the acting advocate general.

The CM’s principal secretary forwarded the summary to his counterpart at the Governor House.

Earlier, Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema had refused to relinquish the office despite his removal by the federal government through a notification.

Cheema had termed the notification unconstitutional and said he would announce his future strategy after consultation with constitutional experts. The federal government had sent a summary for the removal of Cheema to the president on April 17.

After the completion of the constitutional period of the summary, the Cabinet Division issued the notification announcing his removal.

While requesting the country’s top court’s suo motu proceedings regarding the matter, AGP Awais also called upon “all forces” to come out to protect the country.

Addressing a press conference, he said, “Why could a suo motu notice not be taken following the ongoing constitutional crisis wherein the authority of the president of Pakistan has been undermined."

He urged the apex court to exercise its authority under Article 184 of the Constitution and come forward to address the prevailing circumstances.

Not only the Constitution was violated but also the image of the presidential slot was tarnished, he added.

He also said that the AGP could not be removed through executive power and there was a procedure in the Constitution in this regard.

He said he could only be removed with the consent of the governor of Punjab.

Awais also clarified that he was ready to tender his resignation but only when his party would direct him to do so.

On a query, he said the PTI was doing everything in accordance with the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2022.