In a big setback to the Punjab government, the Lahore High Court chief justice has allowed Ahmad Awais to continue his work as Punjab advocate general while directing the provincial authorities to not stop the letter from doing his job, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti on Friday was hearing a petition filed by Mr Awais challenging the notification of the Punjab government which stopped him from doing his job, besides beseeching the court to declare the provincial government’s notification void. 

The chief justice sought a written reply from all the concerned parties including Punjab chief secretary to ensure that no facility would be taken back from Advocate General Ahmad Awais. 

“When it is comes of advocate general, the court always stands by the AG,” the judge declared.

Additional advocate general Ch Jawad Yaqoob appeared before the court on behalf of the Punjab government. 

Shafqat Mehmood Chohan advocate and other lawyers appeared to represent the advocate general. 

At the outset of the hearing, CJ Bhatti asked the AG who was standing at the rostrum to let his lawyer present his arguments. The AG said it was so shameful. However, the chief justice told him to have trust in his lawyer. 

Then the CJ asked the additional advocate general who he was representing to? 

AAG Yaqoob said that he was representing the Punjab government. 

Chief Justice Bhatti asked him under which law he was appointed to the office of advocate general. 

On this, Mr Yaqoob said that it was an internal mechanism through which he was given the responsibilities. 

The CJ wondered how on earth the law secretary could assign him this charge.

Mr Yaqoob, however, told the court that Mr Awais was still the advocate general ‘but my clients do not repose confidence in him’. 

Irked by his reply, the chief justice told him off saying that his job was only to decide which law officer would appear before the court and who would not appear before the court. 

“You cannot make a fuss at the Advocate General Office nor can you order for withdrawal of security from the AG house,” CJ Bhatti told Mr Yaqoob.

The AAG contended that Advocate General Awais did not consider the interests of the Punjab government.

Mr Chohan told the court that Mr Awais was forcefully removed from his office and his security was withdrawn. 

Visibly annoyed by this, the chief justice asked the AAG to get a written reply from all concerned secretaries that AG Ahmad would be having all facilities and no benefit that came with the job would be withdrawn.