Maula Bux Chandio step down as Federal Law Minister

Maula Bux Chandio step down as Federal Law Minister

Senator Maula Bux Chandio on Tuesday stepped down from the coveted post of Federal Minister for Law amid reports that the government is mulling over reappointing his predecessor Senator Babar Awan as law minister.

A senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader, Khurshid Shah on Tuesday told the media reporters that former law minister Baber Awan had relinquished the role to represent government in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference case. Khrushid Shah further added that Awan,
who has recently been appointed as the vice president of ruling political party, PPP, might be returning to the post in the near future.

However, the political analysts believe that a reappointment of Awan could be another move of defiance on part of the government that is already facing a tough time from the Supreme Court of Pakistan over various issues including contentious Memogate scandal
and the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) case.

Chandio’s resignation has come hours after the Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended the legal license of Babar Awan temporarily for contempt of court and asked the federation to find a new lawyer.

The apex court had issued Babar Awan a show cause notice on January 05 for contempt of court during hearing of ZulfikarAli Bhutto Reference case.

"How can things move forward without respect for the judiciary," Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had asked during the hearing on January 5. "We are the issuing authority and have the powers to cancel [legal] licenses as well," he added
further before adjourning the hearing.

Following the suspension of legal license, Awan met the president of Pakistan Asid Ali Zardari. Sources from inside the President house have claimed that during the meeting a decision to reappoint Awan as the law minister was made.

Chandio was appointed as the Federal Law minister in April last year, after the government decided to reopen ZA Bhutto case and Babar Awan, the then law minister, was given the responsibility to represent government in the reference case.

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Posted by Asma Rafique on Jan 17 2012. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry