The Rise and Fall of Dr. Babar Awan

The Rise and Fall of Dr. Babar Awan

Many men have come into politics and dreamed of reaching the highest levels in government, but very few have come like Dr. Babar Awan and met a fate similar to this mans.

At one point, being at the highest possible level, just an inch away from the Prime Minister seat, Dr. Babar Awan was all set to become the PM of Pakistan had anything happened to Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani.

Known better as the right hand of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Babar Awan was the “yes man” for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). There was not a channel which he was not on live or either in a repeated program. There wasn’t a statement of his
that would not make the headlines and there were barely any lawyers that would leave his side knowing how close to the PPP leadership he was.

This man literally had it all and was living the political dream and all at the same time, never having had to contest a general election throughout his life. He was a technocrat, probably the best way to get into government. He was a sharp minded charismatic
lawyer that would practically shut the mouth of others through his undeniable logic.

I still remember going to a Jang sponsored event where all top level vice-chancellors from various universities around Pakistan were invited to join in on talking about the country’s current situation. All had their chances before the well versed speaker
was to take the stage and when his turn came, the shock could be seen on their faces as Awan gave a practical and detailed answer to each and every issue his predecessors had put up against the current government.

Awan was extremely disappointed when President Zardari did not appoint him as the Governor of Punjab after Salman Taseer was mercilessly killed by an extremist guard of his own and instead, put his arch rival, Sardar Latif Khosa in the hot seat.

In lieu to his decision, President Zardari clarified that being his right hand man, he needed him to face the hostile judiciary, which has been against the democratic government ever since day 1 of power. Thus, Awan was appointed Federal Law Minister under
PM Gillani, who he was reluctant to serve beneath.

The Law Ministry was Awan’s playground where he danced and pranced according to his will. He joyfully appointed his friend, Masood Chisty, as Federal Law Secretary and treated him rather like a personal secretary instead. He undermined all the dignified
posts of Deputy Attorney General’s and Standing Counsels by using them as his personal army, wherever and whenever needed at their own personal expense.

Had not anyone of them showed up to his place of calling a meeting, which were most of the times based on his personal issues and not official work, the DAG’s and Standing Counsels faced Awan’s wrath by either verbal abuse or termination from office.

Awan appointed the most incapable of lawyers to the high posts while shunning out the hard working party members that actually put their heart and soul into the profession.

Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq as the Attorney General of Pakistan, his brother Ghulam Farooq Awan as the Additional Attorney General and a number of turncoats like Sajjad Rabbani, a former nazim on a PML (Q) ticket to the posts of Deputy Attorney General and Standing
Counsel’s.

Not testifying as a witness in for Prime Minister Gillani brought on the wrath of President Zardari on Babar Awan, which was the first and last nail in his political coffin. The PPP did good to get rid of Awan who has also been indicted in a contempt of
court case of his own and hopefully, will become an example for those who are hypocrites in nature and think that they are the centre of the universe.

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Posted by Syed Hassan Bokhari on May 17 2012. Filed under Editorial, Latest News, Opinion, Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry