In a major development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed senior PML-N leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as the Federal Minister for Law and Justice.
According to the notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Ayaz Sadiq has been given the portfolio of law and justice in addition to his duties as minister for economic affairs.
Read more: Posters branding Ayaz Sadiq ‘traitor’ seen across Lahore
“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,” the Cabinet Division’s notification for Ayaz Sadiq’s appointment as the new law minister said.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has been appointed Fed Min Law & Justice by PM Shahbaz Sharif. @AyazSadiq122 was already serving as Fed Min for Economic Affairs.@CMShehbaz pic.twitter.com/g0KPzYBGxE
— Imran Munawar (@Imran_Munawar99) October 31, 2022
Azam Nazeer Tarar’s resignation
The appointment comes days after PML-N leader Azam Nazeer Tarar resigned as the Federal Minister for Law, citing “personal reasons”.
Azam Nazeer Tarar sent his handwritten resignation to President Dr. Arif Alvi. He stated that he could not perform duties as a federal minister for personal reasons.
“I have had the great honor and privilege to serve my country as the Federal Minister for Law and Justice under the able leadership of Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. However, due to personal reasons, I am unable to discharge my duties as the federal minister,” Azam Nazeer Tarar said in his resignation letter.
While Azam Nazeer Tarar cited “personal reasons” for resigning, speculations were rife that he resigned due to differences over the nominations of junior judges for elevation to the Supreme Court.
Read more: Why did PML-N’s Azam Nazeer Tarar resign as law minister?
According to the reported details, Azam Nazeer Tarar, as the law minister, supported Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s nominations of junior judges for elevation to the Supreme Court on the federal government’s instructions. However, a lawyer close to Tarar revealed that he was not comfortable with the government’s decision. He was also said to be under immense pressure for casting his vote in favor of some ‘junior judges’ therefore, he decided to tender his resignation.
Moreover, his resignation came after the recent Asma Jahangir Conference which he attended as a chief guest. During the conference, slogans were raised against the state institutions which upset Azam Nazeer Tarar.