Punjab Advocate General Khawaja Haris resigned from his post for the third time on Wednesday, this time over differences with the Punjab government on the issue of law officials’ appointment, for which he claimed he was not consulted.
Haris has moved his personal effects from his office to his residence and has also returned the government car he was given, along with the state security provided to him. He has sent his resignation to Chief Minister’s House, but it is unlikely to be accepted given the history he has with the Sharifs. Haris is notorious for pressuring the government with the threat to resign, this being the third instance. Insiders say whenever the government gives him less importance he resigns to attract the attention of the Sharif family, for which he is the family lawyer.
Reportedly, Haris had reservations over the appointment of law officials and his suggestion was ignored by the government, which hurt his ego deeply. He expressed his reservations several times but no steps were taken to make amends.
Haris had resigned from the post for the first time on February 25, 2009 in protest against governor’s rule in the province after the disqualification of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, saying that as the advocate general he had to serve an elected government and after all the powers were given to the governor, he thought there was no role for him to perform. Haris was first appointed advocate general on June 24, 2008 by acting governor Rana Iqbal. His appointment had caused a controversy between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led Punjab government and former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.
