New AGP recuses himself from Justice Faez Isa reference

ISLAMABAD: The newly appointed Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), Khalid Jawed Khan, has recused himself from representing the federal government in Justice Qazi Faez Isa reference.

A petition in the apex court by Justice Isa challenges the presidential reference lodged against him accusing the judge of concealing assets.The development came as the full court bench—led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed—resumed hearing of the case on Monday.

After last week’s furore over former AGP Anwar Mansoor Khan’s contemptuous statement against the bench, the hearing began with newly appointed AGP Jawed Khan who sought exemption from representing the government in the case. The new AGP, who had previously opined in favour of Justice Isa in the matter, cited conflict of interest as grounds of his request.

When Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem sought permission to represent the federal government instead the apex bench observed that he could not do so without first relinquishing his post as a federal minister. Supreme Court Bar Association President Syed Qalb-e-Hassan also objected to Naseem’s request.

Noting that both the AGP and law minister were not the leading counsel in the case, Justice Bandial asked Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Amir Rehman to represent the federal government’s arguments if it did not hire a private counsel. The judge further remarked that the AAG had attended all hearings so far. It may also be noted here that the AAG has already sought three weeks adjournment in the case.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Abid Saqi requested the bench to issue a contempt notice to the law minister and former AGP over the latter’s contemptuous remarks against the bench. Justice Bandial remarked it was routine to face criticism on judgments and directed the SC registrar for fixing the PBC’s petition.

“One of the judges on the bench will be away after March 20 and we will hear the case upon his return,” Justice Bandial said, adding the hearing would not be moved forward again and the government representative should be present in court on the given date. He further announced that the request for action against the law minister will also be heard on March 30.

Separately, in an informal conversation with the media on Monday, Law Minister Naseem said he regretted the words he used when defending the government against allegations it had prior knowledge about the arguments former AGP Mansoor Khan was going to make in court.

“Mansoor sahib [ex-AGP] is like my elder brother…He is also like an elder brother to Khalid [current AGP]. I regret my choice of words [against former AGP Mansoor],” he said in an interview with a private TV channel.

But the law minister went on to add that despite his regret over his choice of words, “Our perspective on the matter is the same”, implying that they [government] did not have any prior knowledge of what Mansoor said in court.