TERENCE J SIGAMONY

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Mansoor Usman Awan as Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) after Ashtar Ausaf resigned from his office.

The president on Friday accepted the resignation of Ashtar Ausaf Ali from the post of Attorney General, and gave the approval under Article 100 of the Constitution.

Awan is a Lahore-based lawyer. He was the counsel of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in several matters including implementation of Article 95, presidential reference on interpretation of Article 63(A) of the Constitution.

Awan holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Harvard Law School, USA, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Punjab where he stood first. He was awarded the Justice M Jan Memorial gold medal for obtaining 1st position in Jurisprudence and Charles Earl Bevan Petman Law Prize for 1st position in Criminal Law.

Awan is a recipient of the Harvard Law School Dean’s Award for Leadership (2005). At Harvard Law, he was elected as the LLM Representative to Harvard Law School Council and he also served as the Vice President of the Harvard Graduate Council.

Ashtar Ausaf Ali resigned as the AGP in October due to his health condition but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had asked him to continue working till a replacement was appointed.

Awan has cordial relationship with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, as well.