Lahore - Punjab Law Minister Syed Zia Haider Rizvi has said that caretaker government would lay down a procedure for hiring fresh law officers in the Advocate General Punjab (AGP) office.
Rizvi said it while chairing a high level meeting at the AGP office. AGP Imtiaz Rasheed Siddiqui, additional advocate generals and other law officers also attended the meeting.
Rizvi discussed particularly mandate of the caretaker government and the court directions to the government to implement its orders. He said that after the nod of the CM Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi the law department took this initiative.
He said that there is consensus in the legal fraternity that a transparent process should be devised to harness law officers including the Assistant Advocate Generals, Additional Advocate Generals and the AGP in the top law office. Had the governments followed strict criteria and merit while making appointments of the law officers different government agencies would not hire the private counsels to fight their cases in the courts.
Rizvi said that earlier some favor was needed to get induction in the AGP office. We want even playing field for all the lawyers specially the new comers in the profession, he stressed. We will draw a line and forward suggestions to Lahore High Court Lahore Chief Justice and the judicial commission in this regard, the minster added.
I have discussed the matter with lawyer community, senior advocates, they all agree on a written test for induction, he stated. Moreover, genuine active practice experience in the field would also be encouraged while appointment as the law officers. He said that earlier only time after registration in the bar councils was considered as experience. We will decide genuine law experience in the rules, he held. He also directed the AGP to formulate and forward rules to the ministry. He hoped that the new political government might implement the caretaker government’s recommendations.
He said that being son of former AGP and LHC Justice ® Jamil Rizvi he wanted that all less privileged are equal. He also asked the lawyers to monitor polling and guide the masses.
The AGP Imtiaz Rasheed Siddiqui said that the process of induction for the law officers should be fair. He said that there should be evaluation process for the law officers inducted in the office. He said that there was no merit. Incompetent lawyers when inducted in the AGP office continue despite their incompetency and the government departments have to hire private lawyers, he alleged. He said that such incompetent people continue while competent lawyers remain out of the office.
Law minister Zia Haider Rizvi agreed with the AGP that there should be an evaluation process as well for the working law officers.
Rizvi also announced giving his salary as the minister to the Supreme Court Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmad dam fund. Earlier, in his two tenures he used to donate his salary to any charity, the minister said. He also said that he cut the CM Office expenses to the minimum level. He told this paper said that before taking oath as the minister he declared his assets and tax returns.
