Law Minister Tarar resigns over Asma moot and judges elevation issues
Tarar sends resignation to President instead of PM: Regrets anti-establishment slogans during Asma Jehangir Conference: Says he was not in favour of junior judges’ elevation
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Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tendered his resignation last night after attending the Asma Jehangir Conference and the Judicial Commission of Pakistan meeting, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.
The law minister sent his resignation to President Dr Arif Alvi for approval. In his resignation letter, Nazeer Tarar, however, cited ‘personal reasons’ for quitting the post.
But according to 24NewsHD TV channel, Tarar resigned following the anti-establishment slogans raised during the Asma Jehangir Conference where he participated as the chief guest.
Tarar later posted a carefully drafted tweet in which he said: “I’m sad and regret that a small group of participants in the Asma Jahangir Conference raised slogans against the state institutions. Those who raised emotional slogans even forgot the government measures, and efforts and sacrifices rendered by the state institutions. We all want a strong Pakistan.”
عاصمہ جہانگیر کانفرنس میں شرکاء کے ایک مختصر گروہ کی طرف سے ریاستی اداروں کے خلاف نعرے بازی پر دکھ اور افسوس ہوا ہے۔ جذباتی نعرہ بازی کرنے والے حکومتی اقدامات اور اداروں کی کوششوں اور قربانیوں کو بھی بھول گئے۔ ہم سب ایک مضبوط پاکستان کے خواہاں ہیں
— Azam Nazeer Tarar (@AzamNazeerTarar) October 24, 2022
The law minister was also facing criticism on the social media.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, too, expressed his displeasure over the anti-establishment sloganeering at the Asma Jehangir Conference. Former president Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the raising of anti-establishment slogans at the AJCon 2022.
Besides this, Tarar was also under pressure to approve names of ‘junior judges’ recommended by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial for their elevation to the Supreme Court at yesterday’s meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.
Talking to 24NewsHD, Tarar said that he belonged to the lawyer fraternity and he could not dissociate himself from them.
“I participated in the JCP meeting as a government representative and had to cast my vote as a government minister. But personally I was not in favour of approving (junior judges’) elevation,” he added.
On acceptance of his resignation letter, he further told the 24NewsHD that he handed in his resignation to the president because he wanted it to be accepted, otherwise he would have sent it to the prime minister who might have rejected it.
Reporter Awais Kiyani