ISLAMABAD - Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi Friday yesterday resigned as the Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP). The federal government in February this year had appointed Elahi as the AGP, following President Dr Arif Alvi’s approval. According to sources, Elahi has resigned from office due to personal reasons, but some senior lawyers confided that Elahi has resigned due to the government pressure. AGP Elahi had made waves after he offered clarification on behalf of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial for an unconfirmed controversial remarks against the judges during the hearing of a case. Elahi enjoys a good reputation for his hard work, integrity and understanding of legal issues. He is also a young corporate lawyer with experience in commercial, tax and banking laws, civil, commercial, corporate, constitutional litigation, etc.
Elahi sees PML-N accepting defeat by 'postponing' Punjab Assembly elections
President Arif Alvi on December 24 had approved the summary of Mansoor Usman Awan as the new AGP, but as the federal government delayed the notification, Mansoor, a Lahore-based lawyer, on January 18, declined to be appointed as the attorney general. Ashtar Ausaf Ali in October had resigned, citing health reasons.