Outgoing counsel spurns adviser’s post

Kamal Azfar reportedly unhappy with decision to relieve him.

ISLAMABAD: Former provincial governor Kamal Azfar has refused to accept his appointment as an adviser to the prime minister, The Express Tribune has learnt.

“I will never assume the charge of adviser to the prime minister on the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),” Azfar confirmed to The Express Tribune on Thursday night.

Azfar, who was abruptly withdrawn as the government’s counsel in the high-profile National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) cases, was appointed as the adviser to the premier on October 6, when the cabinet division issued a notification of his appointment on the direction of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. Azfar has since been replaced by Sardar Latif Khosa.

On October 10, the government issued another notification allocating him the portfolio of adviser to the premier on the NDMA with the status of federal minister. Both notifications were submitted to the Supreme Court by Attorney-General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq at the respective dates.

“I am not disappointed with the government on replacing me with Latif Khosa in the NRO review case,” Azfar said. “Best of luck to Mr Khosa for pleading the case on behalf of the government.”

To a question regarding his next step, Azfar said he would continue his practice as a lawyer and wished the government the best of luck. However, sources told The Express Tribune that Azfar was ‘unhappy’ over the government’s decision as it was made without taking him into confidence.

According to the sources, Azfar was given charge of adviser to the premier in order to sideline and replace him in the important cases being heard in the Supreme Court.

The PM Secretariat was not available for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2010.