LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti on Friday sought a reply from the chief secretary of the province on the petitions of Advocate General of Punjab (AGP) Ahmad Awais and 19 law officers - against stopping him from working and against their termination.

Earlier, Mr Awais’ counsel Shafqat Chohan argued that the government used force to oust his client from his office and stopped him from performing his constitutional duties.

He said the appointing authority of the advocate general was the governor of the province and the petitioner was to hold office during the pleasure of the governor. He said under the Punjab Government Rules of Business 2011, the office of the AGP did not fall under the administrative control of the chief secretary. He asked the court to strike down two letters issued by the law secretary wherein the petitioner had been restrained from working and appearing before courts on behalf of the government.

The chief justice regretted that he did not witness such a situation earlier.

Opposing the petition, Additional Advocate General (AAG) Jawwad Yaqoob told the court that Mr Awais was still the principal law officer of the province and enjoyed all his perks and privileges. However, he said, the government did not want him to represent it in cases before the courts.

He said Mr Awais filed a reply before a larger bench without the consent of the government.

He said the law department issued four letters to restrain the AGP from representing the government before the courts, but he continued to appear before the courts.

In petitions of the law officers, a counsel argued that the government unlawfully terminated the services of the petitioners.

“So the grievance is why we have been ousted,” the chief justice asked the law officers, drawing laughter in the courtroom.

Chief Justice Bhatti observed whether the chief minister could take such decisions in the absence of the cabinet.

AAG Yaqoob said the provincial government was the hiring and firing authority of the law officers.The chief justice issued notices to the respondents for May 23 and directed the government to present the summary for the removal of the petitioners/law officers.

Published in Dawn,May 21st, 2022