Asma Hamid, the first female advocate general of Punjab (AGP), was removed from her post after remaining in charge for less than a month.
According to a notification issued by Punjab’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, the province’s Additional Advocate General Muhammad Shan Gul has been handed over the additional charge of the AGP office until another appointment is made.
Speaking to the media about her sudden removal, Hamid claimed she had learnt of her removal from the post via media reports. She said she not been told about the decision earlier and had not been given any explanation regarding her removal.
Following her dismissal, the Lahore High Court Bar Association issued a press release condemning the “arbitrary removal” of Hamid as an “abuse of discretion and a blatant violation of due process”.
Hamid’s appointment as AGP was approved by Punjab’s former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif on May 28, two days before the provincial government completed its term. She was given the office after former AGP Shakilur Rehman Khan tendered his resignation.
At the time, sources in the AGP office had told Dawn that it would be up to the caretaker setup of Punjab whether to sustain Hamid’s appointment or to appoint a new incumbent during the interim government as per convention.
Hamid is the daughter of former Punjab governor Shahid Hamid and niece of former federal law minister Zahid Hamid. She was appointed as assistant advocate general in January 2014 and later elevated to AAG on Feb 18, 2015.