Zahid Hamid

Zahid Hamid
Minister of Science and Technology
In office
23 June 2013 – 21 November 2014
President Mamnoon Hussain
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by Chengez Khan
Succeeded by TBA
Constituency NA-114 (Sialkot-V)
Minister of Law and Justice
In office
7 June 2013 – 22 June 2013
Preceded by Farook Naik
Succeeded by Pervez Rashid
Director-General of the Environmental Protection Agency
In office
27 December 1997 – 12 October 1999
Preceded by Office established
Succeeded by Asif Shuja Khan
Personal details
Born October 24, 1947
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Citizenship  Pakistan
Nationality Pakistan
Political party Pakistan Muslim League (N)
(1989-)
Residence Islamabad, Pakistan
Alma mater Punjab University
(LLB)
Cambridge University
(BA and MA)
Cabinet Sharif ministry
Religion Islam

Zahid Hamid ( زاهد حميد;b. 24 October 1947), is a Pakistani politician, lawyer, conservative figure, and an entrepreneur who tenured as the Minister of Science and Technology from 22 June 2013 until volutariliy resigning on 21 November 2014.[1]

Originally appointed as Law Minister in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights, he was reassigned to Science ministry due to the treason trial of Pervez Musharraf. Hamid is noted as an environmental conservative, having helped drafting the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1997; of which he served its first Director until his appointment was terminated in 1999 by Pervez Musharraf. Hamid abruptly resigned from the Science ministry after the special court inducted him on a Musharraf treason trial.[2]

Biography

Family roots and education

Zahid Hamid was born in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, on 24 October 1947. His father, Hamid Nawaz, was an activist of Pakistan Movement and an admirer of Muhammad Ali Jinnah– founder of Pakistan.[3][4] Hamid Nawaz also served in the Pakistan Army who retired as a Brigadier in 1975 and later served as foreign service to tenured as diplomat in various countries.[4] Hamid Nawaz passed away in 2009 at the age of 94.[3] His brother, Shahid Hamid, served as Governor of Punjab in 1997 and senior leader in Pakistan Muslim League (N).[5]

After graduating from local school, Zahid Hamid attended the Punjab University where he studied law.[6] In 1971, he graduated with a LLB in law from the Punjab University; for higher studies, Hamid went to United Kingdom to started to attend the Cambridge University.[7] He graduated with an BA with honors in Philosophy and worked on the post-graduate studies. He gained MA degree where his work contained the fundamentals of philosophy of law.[7] In addition, Hamid has attended the seminars on management at the Business school of the Harvard University; and further specialized in law from International Development Law Organization based in Rome, Italy.[7]

Career in politics

Upon returning to Pakistan, he established two industrial units for food processing and security in Lahore, which he managed from 1978 till 1988. Hamid passed the CSS exam to joined the Central Superior Services (CSS) where he worked with the provincial government of Punjab but resigned from the CSS in order to start career in politics.

After finishing up his higher studies in 1980s, Hamid started his career as professional lawyer and eventually becoming a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In 1990s, he worked extensively on he field of environmental law in environmental issues and campaigned towards environmental conservatism.[8] He advised and helped drafted the federal laws on protecting the environment.[8] In 1997, his recommendations and advises were taken under consideration which resulted in establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authorized by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1997. He was theprincipal draftsperson of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997.[8] Eventually, he tenured as the first Director-General of the Environmental Protection Agency until being dismissed by General Pervez Musharraf after staging a self-coup in 1999.[8]

Following the military takeover, Hamid defected to the PML(N)'s splinter group led by Shuja'at Hussain, and successfully participated for NA-114 constituency during the general elections held nationwide in 2002.[9] From 2004–07, he tenured as Minister of State for Defence, Investment and Privatization; in 2008, he had been elevated as the Minister of Law in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights.[10] Hamid was also noted as a key minister during the state's emergency imposed by then-President Pervez Musharraf.[11] In 2008, he was eventually succeeded by Farooq Naek, a constitutional expert belonging to leftist PPP.[12] On 23 June 2013, he was appointed as Federal Minister for Science & Technology by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.[13]

In 2012, Hamid decided to reaffirms his ties with the PML(N) and announced to joined the party.[14]

Minister of Science (2013–14)

In 2013, Hamid participated to defend his NA-114 constituency in the general elections against the leftist PPP and PTI.[15] He successfully competed for his constituency, securing ~131,607 votes with a percentile of 57.05%.[16]

Initially, he was appointed as Minister of Law in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and took oath in 7 June 2013.[17] However as the inquiries and investigations began to took place against Pervez Musharraf, the severe criticism began to mount against Hamid for his role in the state's emergency imposed by then-President Pervez Musharraf.[11] Eventually, he directed an application to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for reassigning the ministry.[11] On 23 June 2013, he was appointed as Minister for Science and Technology by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.[13][18]

In the case proceedings of the led by a special tribunal to oversee the treason case against Pervez Musharraf–a former President and chief of army staff– the tribunal indicted Hamid and directed the government to add Hamid's name to the charge sheet.[19] On Upon hearing the court's decision, Hamid tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a matter of 15 minutes.[20] The resignation has yet to be accepted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but according the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, it is most likely the resignation will be accepted.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Member of National Assembly of Pakistan". National Assembly of Pakistan. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 dawn.com (21 November 2014). "Federal minister Zahid Hamid tenders resignation". Dawn newspapers,2014. Dawn newspapers. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 APP staff (3 March 2009). "President, PM condole Hamid Nawaz’s death". Associate Press of Pakistan, 2009. Associate Press of Pakistan. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Zia, Sajid (3 March 2009). "Hamid Nawaz laid to rest". The Nation, 2013. The Nation. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  5. ↑ Staff (18 February 2008). "PAKISTAN DECIDES 2008: NA-114". Daily Times, 20008. Daily Times. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Election Commission of Pakistan. "Zahid Hamid Khan". ECP, 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 PD, Public Domain. "Minister's Profile:Zahid Hamid". Ministry of Science and Technology.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 PD, Staff editors (2000), "Environmental policy :Environment in Pakistan: Challenges and Achievements", Ministry of Environment Journal, 2000, vaF-AAAAMAAJ
  9. ↑ "Winning Elections three times". Geo tv. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  10. ↑ Khan, Azam (22 June 2013). "Musharraf trial: Zahid Hamid reassigned from law ministry". Express Tribune, 2013. Express News. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Webdesk of Express News (18 June 2013). "Law and justice minister files application to change ministry". Express News, 2013. Express News. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Removal from Law Ministry". Tribune PK. 22 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Appointment as Minster Science & Tech.". Dawn. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  14. ↑ Tahir, Zulqernain (14 October 2012). "Another Musharraf loyalist joins PML-N". Dawn Newspapers, 2012. Dawn Newspapers. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  15. ↑ Jannat Hussain. "Pakistan General Election 2013". Democracy. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  16. ↑ et. al. "Elections in Na-114". ECP and Pakistan Leaders Online database. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Hussain, Tayyab (8 June 2013). "25-member cabinet takes oath". Pakistan Today. Pakistan Today. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  18. ↑ staff editor and wrtier. "Zahid Hamid given S&T ministry; Khurram made MoS Privatization". PMLN news. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  19. ↑ Dawn.com; Asad, Malik; Khan, Abdul Shakoor (21 November 2014). "Special court partially okays trial of Musharraf's abettors". Dawn news, 2014. Dawn newspapers. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  20. ↑ Zaafir, Muhammad Saleh (21 November 2014). "Zahid Hamid resigns after nomination in treason case". News International, 2014. News International. Retrieved 22 November 2014.

External links