ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain accepted on Tuesday the resignation of Federal Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid, who had tendered his resignation on Friday.

“On a summary initiated by the cabinet division and on the advice of the prime minister, the president has approved the resignation of Zahid Hamid,” the president’s spokesperson said.

He had resigned after a special court seized with high treason trial of former president retired General Pervez Musharraf accepted his plea to include three other persons, including Mr Hamid, in the case as co-accused.

Mr Hamid was law minister in the cabinet of the then prime minister Shaukat Aziz when Mr Musharraf had imposed emergency in the country in 2007.

The two others to face treason charge are Mr Aziz and the then chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar.

The court ordered the government to initiate treason proceedings under article 6 of the constitution against the three co-accused, who were said to be part of Mr Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency.

PUNJAB GOVERNOR GOES ON LEAVE: In a separate order, the president granted 10-day leave to Punjab Governor Muhammad Sarwar who intends to go to Saudi Arabia and Turkey on a private visit.

During his absence, the speaker of the Punjab Assembly will replace him under article 104 of the constitution.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014