The resignation of the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khan is a welcome step after his rift with the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). The on-going investigation against Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s undeclared assets has been a controversy since the last few months, and the statements of the AGP against the three-member supreme court bench raised suspicions of doubt in the legal team, their intentions, along with a rhetoric that is not based on any evidence. All of the above can be categorised as contempt of court, which is why the AGP was asked to resign.

The statement post the resignation of the AGP shows that he was willing to close the matter in a respectful manner instead of maligning state institutions and the role they are performing. He said that he stands with his brothers and colleagues at the Bar and wishes to reaffirm his faith in the highest principles of integrity and professional excellence that the Pakistan Bar Council has always stood for. It is important to set such precedents in the polity that show great wisdom and character along with integrity. Most often than not, political actors remain engaged in political jargon and rhetoric which ends up taking away the trust that people have in these representatives and the ability of the state to execute matters of governance and policy.

At the same time, it also reinstates the principle that whoever is unable to perform their duties for the state and is not able to respect the laws of the land due to whatever reasons is not going to stay in power or at lucrative positions because that affects the output of the state and it is very important for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) government to set this precedent because their constant reshuffling in the bureaucracy has caused a lot of controversies and criticism. It is important to establish feedback channels that allow for such changes that actually improve performance.