Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi has stepped down as Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) after less than two months in the position.
According to sources, Barrister Elahi has resigned from office due to personal reasons. The selection of Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi as AGP was announced by the Ministry of Law and Justice on February 2.
“In accordance with the authority granted by Article 100(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973, the President is pleased to appoint Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi as Pakistan’s Attorney General with the rank and status of Federal Minister with immediate effect,” according to a statement issued by the ministry and signed by Joint Secretary to the Government of Pakistan, Muhammad Umer Aziz.
According to Article 100(1), the president would choose the AGP from among those eligible to serve as Supreme Court judges.
As Mansoor Usman Awan withdrew from serving as the government’s top attorney, Elahi took over as AGP.
Following Ashtar Ausaf Ali’s resignation on December 23, President Dr. Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Awan, a Supreme Court attorney, as the AGP. Due to health concerns, Ali submitted his resignation in October last year.
The federal government did not officially announce the appointment for reasons that have not been made public.
