ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday gave the additional portfolio of law and justice to Ayaz Sadiq, who is already serving as economic affairs minister.

The Cabinet Division’s notification for Mr Sadiq’s appointment as the new minister said: “In terms of rule 3(4) of the Rules of Business, 1973, the prime minister has been pleased to allocate the portfolio of law and justice to Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the federal minister for economic affairs, with immediate effect.”

Mr Sadiq has replaced Azam Nazeer Tarar who resigned last week citing personal reasons.

The resignation raised some eyebrows as it came hours after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s (JCP) meeting where Mr Tarrar had cast his vote in favour of two ‘junior judges’, to be elevated to the Supreme Court.

On October 25, the JCP una­nimously approved the recommendation to elevate Islam­abad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Jus­tice Shahid Waheed of the Lahore High Court and Jus­tice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi of the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Legal fraternity believes Mr Tarrar — who is a senior lawyer himself — tendered his resignation to make up for the dismay caused among the lawyers due to his vote in the JCP meeting.

They believed he resigned ahead of the Supreme Court Bar Association elections in order to calm the lawyers, especially from Sindh, who were not happy over his vote for the elevation of a ‘junior judge’ of the SHC.

However, his resignation failed to placate the lawyers as they reacted through their votes, handing down a defeat to the Mr Tarrar-backed group in the election.

Sources in the law ministry said even the lawyers belonging to the PML-N were unhappy with Mr Tarar since he ignored them during the appointment of law officers to superior judiciary and in different public sector organisations.

Mr Tarar is considered to be one of the most influential advocates of the country and was said to be backing the legal team of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in her appeal against the conviction in Avenfield reference.

The Islamabad High Court had recently acquitted Ms Nawaz and her spouse retired Capt Safdar and set aside their conviction.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2022