ISLAMABAD: Renowned jurist Mansoor Usman Awan has been appointed as the new Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) on Monday.
President Arif Alvi appointed Awan to the post after accepting the resignation of Barrister Shahzad Ata Elahi, who resigned after less than two months.
The President of the State approved the appointment under Article 100 of the Constitution, in a statement issued by the President’s House, it was said that his rank will be equal to that of a Federal Minister.
Elahi was chosen for the coveted post after Awan declined to become Attorney General last year because he was not formally notified despite the President’s approval of his appointment.
After the resignation of former AGP Ishtar Usaf in October last year, the government was shamed by the judiciary for not filling this important constitutional post.
Awan holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Harvard Law School, USA, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Punjab University where he stood first. He was awarded the Justice M. John Memorial Gold Medal for first place in jurisprudence and the Charles Earl Bevan Patman Law Prize for first place in criminal law.
Awan is the recipient of Harvard Law School’s Dean’s Award for Leadership (2005). At Harvard Law, he was elected as the LLM representative to the Harvard Law School Council and also served as vice president of the Harvard Graduate Council.
