Shehzad Elahi says he was not asked to resign as AGP

ISLAMABAD: Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi, who tendered his resignation as AGP, on Saturday clarified that he was asked to resign as Attorney-General for Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Shehzad Elahi’s response comes a day after it emerged that he was asked to quit the top law office. “It was absolutely incorrect that I was asked to quit the AGP office,” he said in a statement.

He added: In fact, I was requested by senior members of the Government to defer sending the resignation to the President and at their request, I handed the original resignation over to a senior minister.”

Barrister Shehzad Elahi on Friday resigned as attorney general of Pakistan citing personal reasons.

Shehzad Elahi’s resignation comes nearly seven weeks after his appointment was confirmed by President Arif Alvi on Feb 2.

Elahi is the grandson of former president Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry and enjoys a good reputation for his hard work, integrity and understanding of legal issues.

He is also a corporate lawyer who has rich experience in commercial, tax and banking laws, civil, commercial, corporate, constitutional litigation, etc.

The AGP office had been vacant since last October when Ashtar Ausaf Ali resigned, citing health reasons.

In January, the apex court held that the AGP was a constitutional post and it could not be left vacant since there was no mention of an acting AGP in the Constitution.