ISLAMABAD, May 5: A former head of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) pathology department, who was removed from the post for announcing to contest the presidential election, was reinstated on Monday.

Prof Anwarul Haq told Dawn that he was informed by the Pims executive director that a notification reinstating him had been received from the ministry of health.

Mr Haq said he would rejoin the hospital on Tuesday (today). He said the reinstatement was made in reply to a letter he wrote to federal health minister Sherry Rahman on April 18.

Mr Haq was removed from the post on August 25, 2007, for submitting an application to the Election Commission stating that he wanted to contest the upcoming presidential polls.

He had argued that if President Gen Musharraf, who was also a government servant, could participate in the election why couldn’t he?

The EC issued him nomination papers but he did not submit it, maintaining that he would seek divine guidance whether to stay in the race or not.