Advocate General Punjab Mustafa Ramday resigns

LAHORE: Mustafa Ramday has resigned from his position as acting Advocate General of Punjab, Geo News reported on Friday.

The Punjab government had appointed Mustafa Ramday as acting Advocate General but he was also using the powers of advocate general of Punjab. Consequently, several petitions were filed in the Lahore High Court challenging Ramday’s powers as AG Punjab.

Sources told that the lawyers fraternity has reservations against Ramday’s appointment.

The Lahore High Court full bench on Wednesday ordered the Punjab government to appoint a permanent advocate general within a fortnight.

Headed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, the full bench passed this order on a petition filed by Advocate Rab Nawaz Dhadwana and others against suspension of nine members of Punjab Bar Council by Acting Advocate General Mustafa Ramday. Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Ayesha A Malik were the other members of the bench.

The bench observed that the constitutional post of the principal law officer of the province remained non-existent for a period of one year. The bench expressed concern over the functioning of Punjab Bar Council in the absence of its Chairman, the Advocate General Punjab. The government had sought six weeks for the appointment of permanent AGP; however, the bench turned down the request. The full bench also set aside all notified and de-notified members of the PbBC during the period (tenure of Ramday) and ordered the government to appoint new AG Punjab within fortnight. Additional Advocate General Mustafa Ramday had been holding the post as acting AG Punjab. The full bench heard the arguments on the validity of the notification issued by the Additional Advocate General regarding the election of the members of the Punjab Bar Council.

It may be mentioned that Mustafa Ramday is the son of former Supreme Court judge, Khalil Ramday.