Mansoor Usman Awan appointed new AGP

Mansoor Usman Awan has been appointed as the new Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), days after Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi stepped down as the country’s top law officer.

President Dr Arif Alvi appointed Awan as the AGP with the rank and status of federal minister with immediate effect, read a notification issued by the Law Ministry on Monday.

Sources had revealed to The Express Tribune that Elahi resigned from his position of attorney general on Friday after he was asked to step down by the government.

However, in a statement issued on Saturday regarding the media reports, Elahi said: “It is not true as I had already informed about my resignation.”

“[The rumour that] I was asked to resign is baseless and incorrect. When I informed the important government figure about my resignation, I was prevented from resigning, but I have signed my resignation and handed it over to the senior minister so that the government can send my resignation to the president whenever it wants,” Elahi said.

It was learnt that the federal government had appointed him as the AGP on the recommendation of a section of the superior judiciary.

Also read: Attorney General Elahi steps down

Elahi, who enjoyed a good reputation in the legal fraternity, appears to have become a victim of the ongoing clash between the judiciary and the executive. Now, it seems that the government has sent a message to the section of judges who had earlier halted the appointment of Mansoor Usman Awan as the AGP.

Following Elahi’s resignation, The Express Tribune had reported earlier that the government was again considering the name of Awan for the same slot.

In December last year, President Alvi had approved the summary regarding Awan’s appointment as the new AGP. However, his notification was not issued due to the reservations from a section of the judiciary.

Later in January this year, Awan recused himself from becoming the new Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) due to “unavoidable professional commitments”.

Sources had revealed to The Express Tribune that Awan informed the incumbent federal government that he would not be in a position to get the portfolio of AGP at this time.

In his letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Awan had stated, "last month you had offered me to serve as the Attorney General for Pakistan, for which I am very grateful. However, due to unavoidable professional commitments, I will be unable to serve as the Attorney General for Pakistan, at this time. I remain very thankful to you for reposing your confidence in me."

Who is Mansoor Awan?

Awan, who also enjoys a good reputation within the legal fraternity, was partner with Justice Babar Sattar in a legal firm before the latter’s appointment to the Islamabad High Court.

Senior lawyers are of the view that Awan became a victim of judicial politics. He was former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shehbaz's counsel in a case wherein the three-judge special bench of the apex court had set aside the ruling of deputy speaker Dost Mazari.

Also read: Mansoor Awan declines AGP post

All the respondents in the case including Hamza had boycotted the court proceedings after the bench had refused to form full court in the matter.

Interestingly, Awan was not among the lawyers who supported the seniority principle for the elevation of judges to the apex court. However, it is believed that he is close to one section of the judiciary as well as superior bars which are following the seniority principle for the elevation of judges to the top court.

He completed his Master of Law (LLM) in 2005 from Harvard Law School and received the Dean’s Award for Leadership. He also served as president of the Harvard Graduate Council from 2004-05.

He did his Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the Punjab University Law College in 2002 and earned the Justice M Jan Memorial gold medal for the first position in jurisprudence, and the Charles Earl Bevan Petman law prize for the first position in criminal law.

Awan was also the counsel of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in several matters including the implementation of Article 95 and presidential reference on the interpretation of Article 63(A) of the Constitution.

On behalf of the SCBA, Awan also filed a petition against the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution.