KP Legal Advisors Dismissed as Law Department Issues Major Notification

PESHAWAR: The KP legal advisors dismissed in a new notification have set off a wave of discussion in the province’s legal and government circles. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ended the services of legal advisors and law officers who were working in different provincial departments.

The Law Department issued the notification on the matter. According to it, the services of 300 legal advisors have been terminated.

The decision affects lawyers who had been advising government departments on legal matters. The notification does not take long to read, but its effect is wide because so many departments are involved.

In a separate notification, the Law Department removed 57 law officers from the Advocate General’s Office. Of these, 26 were additional advocate generals and 31 were assistant advocate generals.

The department also appointed 27 new law officers. This was done after the provincial governor gave his approval. The new appointments take effect immediately.

Names of new appointees

The notification names Shahid Raza Malik, Daniyal Khan Daulat Khan, Lajbar Khan and Ashfaq Daudzai as Additional Advocate Generals in Peshawar.

Junaid Zaman has also been appointed as an Additional Advocate General. Palwasha Rani has been appointed as Assistant Advocate General in Peshawar.

Bureaucratic reshuffle in six divisions

Earlier, the provincial government also changed its bureaucracy. It announced transfers and new postings of commissioners in six divisions.

Khalid Mahmood, who was the Bannu commissioner, has now been made Commissioner of Peshawar. Ahmed Ali Shah, who was waiting for a posting, has been appointed Commissioner of Mardan.

Samiullah, a former secretary of Dera Ismail Khan, will now serve as Commissioner of Bannu. Shakirullah, who was working as additional home secretary, has been appointed Commissioner of Hazara.

Iqbal Hussain, a federal joint secretary, has been appointed Commissioner of Malakand.

Officers removed or sent back

The notification also changed other posts. Additional Secretary Agriculture Parvez Kashar has been removed from his position.

Riaz Khan Mahsud, the Peshawar commissioner, and Habibullah Arif, the Mardan commissioner, have been made officers on special duty, also known as OSDs.

Shahidullah, the Hazara commissioner, and Masood Ahmed, the Malakand commissioner, have been told to report to the Establishment Division.

The government has not yet given a detailed public reason for ending the services of the legal advisors. Many in legal circles are waiting to see who will be appointed in their place.

The departments that relied on these advisors will also need new legal support soon. Government work such as court cases, contracts and legal opinions cannot stay on hold for long.

For now, the notifications show that the provincial government is making big changes in both its legal and administrative setup. More details are expected to come out in the coming days.