Barrister Farogh Naseem took oath as a federal minister here on Friday, three days after he resigned from the office of federal minster for law and justice to appear as counsel of the army chief in a case pertaining to his tenure’s extension.
President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath to Barrister Naseem at a ceremony, which was attended by members of lawyers’ fraternity and political and social figures.
Barrister Farogh Naseem had stepped down from his office of federal minister for law and justice on November 26 since he could not fight the case while holding the post. He represented General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the Supreme Court’s hearings on November 27 and 28 which concluded with the bench’s verdict.
It has not yet been announced which portfolio he will be given.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had taken up a petition challenging the extension granted to Gen Bajwa by the government. On Wednesday, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed told a news conference that Prime Minister Imran Khan had accepted Naseem’s resignation which was tendered during a cabinet meeting.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had said that Naseem ‘voluntarily’ resigned from his office and added that he would join the attorney general to clarify the government’s stance on the issue of the army chief’s tenure extension. Additionally, Akbar had said that once the assistance was completed, Naseem could return to the cabinet subject to the prime minister’s approval.
