PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday dismissed a writ petition challenging the appointment of law officers in the offices of the Attorney General and Advocate General, declaring their appointments as lawful.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Inamullah Khan heard the case.
The applicant, Advocate Muhammad Suleman, had taken the stance that law officers in the offices of the Attorney General and Advocate General were appointed on political grounds.
He said there was no established criteria or mechanism of written tests and interviews for their selection. The applicant argued that appointments based on political considerations are illegal.
The counsel contended that there is no transparent, merit-based, and permanent procedure for the appointment of law officers, and that such appointments should be made on the pattern of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan so that competent law officers could be selected. He added that the absence of merit-based appointments is affecting the judicial system.
During the hearing, Assistant Advocate General Bilal Khalil and Additional Attorney General Sanaullah argued that the appointments of law officers in the offices of the Advocate General and Attorney General had been made in accordance with the law, and that the appointed officers met the legal requirements prescribed for such positions.
At one point, Justice Ijaz Anwar asked the petitioner’s counsel to specify which law officer had been appointed illegally. He observed that every government appoints law officers of its own choice.
