AGP Khalid Jawed recuses himself from reference against Justice Isa case

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Newly appointed Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan on Monday has recused himself from proceedings of Justice Qazi Faez Isa case. A full bench court of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by Justice Umer Ata Bandial heard the case. During the hearing, Khalid Jawed refused to represent the government in the presidential reference against Justice Faez Isa by justifying before the SC that there “is a conflict of interest.” The new AGP pleaded from the court to accept the government's application for Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman to argue the case. “Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman has been preparing this case,” he informed the court. Justice Umer Ata Bandial responded to this by setting the next hearing's date for March 30. “One of the judges on the bench will be away after March 20 and we will hear the case upon his return,” he remarked. “The hearing would not be moved forward again, the government representative should be present in court on the given date,” Justice Bandial said. Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of Law and Justice notified Khalid Jawed Khan as the new AGP. As per the notification issued by the law ministry, President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi has appointed Khalid Jawed Khan as Attorney General for Pakistan "with the rank and status of federal minister with immediate effect.” On February 20, Anwar Mansoor Khan has resigned from his post. AGP Anwar Mansoor Khan submitted his resignation letter to President Arif Alvi. It is pertinent to mention here that Anwar Mansoor resigned after the Pakistan Bar Council demanded his resignation. In a resignation letter submitted to the president, he said: “I note with profound regret that the Pakistan Bar Council, of which I am the Chairman, has demanded through its press release dated 19th of February 2020 that I resign forthwith from the Office of the Attorney General of Pakistan.” “Being a life member of Karachi Bar Association, Sindh Bar Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association, and having previously served as the Advocate General Sindh, the Attorney General for Pakistan and a judge of the High Court of Sindh, I stand with my brothers and colleagues at the Bar and I wish to reaffirm my 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 to accept it with immediate effect,” he concluded in his resignation letter.