Pakistan Bar Council ratifies Farogh Naseem's lawyer's license

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council has ratified former Federal Minister for Law, Farogh Naseem license to practice law, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Amjad Shah had said that Law Minister Farogh Naseem, who on November 26 resigned from office to fight for the right of the current army chief’s extension in the Supreme Court (SC), cannot legally represent General Qamar Javed Bajwa because the minister’s practice licence was suspended by the council a few months ago.

Read More: ‘Obligation, not favour’: Farogh Naseem says will represent Gen Bajwa in extension case

In a video, Shah had claimed that if Farogh Naseem appeared in court to represent chief of the army staff (COAS) with his suspended licence, they would raise objections and anyone practising law with a suspended licence could face up to one-year imprisonment.

The attorney general (AG) had subsequently quashed the Pakistan Bar Council ruling. However, the council had said it was not AG’s jurisdiction to nullify the ruling.

Read More: SC Reserves Verdict In Extension In Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s Tenure

Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the resignation of the Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem.

According to the notification, the approval for the resignation was effective from November 26. The notification also stated that President Dr Arif Alvi has also accepted Farogh Naseem’s resignation over advise of the premier.

SC suspends COAS Bajwa’s extension notification

The Supreme Court (SC) had suspended the notification confirming the extension of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa for another three years.

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had remarked that the Constitution doesn’t allow the prime minister to extend the service of the army chief. “Only the president can extend his service”, he had added.