Caretaker mandate: AGP’s lawyers get stay order against removal

The govt can not remove officials who are not a part of the election process.

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday restrained the caretaker provincial government from removing law officers from the Advocate General Punjab’s (AGP) office.

Advocate Rana Asadullah Khan had filed a petition stating that Caretaker Law Minister Shams Mahmood had issued a media statement suggesting changes to the AGP’s office. He said this went beyond the caretaker government’s mandate.

Khan said former AGP Ashtar Aisaf had voluntarily resigned after the caretaker government was formed. The AGP’s office had been declared a special institution and was not attached to the law department, he said.

Khan prayed the court to define the role of the caretaker government in the process of appointment and removal of those officers who were not part of the election process. He also asked the court to restrain the government from removing law officers from the AGP’s office. The chief justice restrained the government and sought replies from the chief secretary and provincial election commission till April 16, the next date of the hearing. Assistant AGP Rabbiya Bajwa tendered her resignation on Wednesday. She said since the government had completed its term she saw no justification in continuing to be part of the office.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2013.