Secretary law Aqil Mirza resigns

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

By Nasir Iqbal
Saturday, 08 May, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Secretary Justice (retd) Aqil Mirza resigned on Friday — a day after he was summoned by a five-judge bench of Supreme Court hearing a case relating to non-implementation of its Dec 16, 2009, verdict revoking the National Re-conciliation Ordinance.

He cited health reasons for quitting the coveted post against the backdrop of what many perceived as a standoff between the executive and the judiciary over the reopening of Swiss cases.

“Why the law ministry is always in the limelight for wrong reasons?” asked a senior counsel while talking to Dawn.

The bench headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk had asked the law secretary and NAB Chairman Nawid Ahsan to appear before it on May 13 after Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq stunned the court with his statement that the matter relating to Swiss cases had ended and there was no need to revive mutual legal assistance in probing $60 million money laundering cases involving President Asif Zardari.

Aqil Mirza was the fourth senior official who had resigned since the Supreme Court started hearing the case regarding non-implementation of its judgment against the NRO. Others are NAB Chairman Nawid Ahsan, Attorney General Anwar Mansoor and Senior Joint Secretary Akbar Khan Achakzai.

Mr Ahsan’s resignation has not been accepted by the prime minister. Mr Mansoor had accused Law Minister Babar Awan of obstructing attempts to write letters to Swiss authorities for reopening the cases. Mr Achakzai said it was difficult for him to work under the law minister.

Aqil Mirza is the fourth law secretary to serve the government. Others are Justice (retd) Bin Yamin, Justice Agha Rafiq (now Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court) and Justice (retd) Riaz Kiani.

Aqil Mirza sent his resignation to the prime minister recently and reportedly said that it was beyond his capacity to fulfil his responsibilities and duty.

He underwent a hernia operation and has since been doing paperwork from his home.