ISLAMABAD – The Punjab government has decided to appoint a woman AdvocateGeneral for the first time in the history of this office.

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday approved a summary regarding theappointment of Asma Hamid as the new Advocate General of Punjab. She willbe the first woman to hold this constitutional post ever after replacingher successor, Shakilur Rehman.

Asma Hamid holds a post-graduate degree in constitutional law from theUnited States’ prestigious Harvard University. She was appointed as anAssistant Advocate General in January 2014 and as Additional AdvocateGeneral in March 2015. She has also assumed responsibilities as ActingAdvocate General in charge of the office on two previous occasions.

Being a Supreme Court advocate, Asma has successfully represented Punjab inthousands of cases in the Lahore High Court and the apex court. Herrepresentation of the state in the Distilleries case had won billions ofrupees in tax revenue.

In the Supreme Court, she assisted the court in several human rights casesas well as matters in which suo motu action has been taken by the court,including the Zainab rape and murder case in Kasur, and silicosisprevention case among others.

Hamid has also advised the chief minister on various issues ranging fromEnergy, Property, Environment, Media, Tax, State and Evacuee Property,Service, Contract and other laws.

A notification of her appointment is expected to be issued tonight.