ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif was given the additional charge of the ministry of defence, said a notification issued by the government on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information Pervez Rashid has been given the additional charge as Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights.

According to the notification issued by the Cabinet Division today, the prime minister has assigned these additional portfolios to the two ministers with immediate effect.

After being elected in May 11 elections, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had decided to keep the charge of affairs of the key defence foreign ministries himself. Similarly, the ministry of law and justice has been vacant since the new government took power.

Noting that no progress significant progress had taken place by the federal government in the missing persons’ case, the Supreme Court had warned this week that the Defence Minister would have to appear in court.

Asif will now have to appear in the apex court at the next hearing of the missing persons’ case on Thursday.