ISLAMABAD, Oct 30 President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday accepted resignations of Justice Said Maroof Khan and Justice Hamid Farooq Durrani of Peshawar High Court, who sought premature retirement under Article 195 of the Constitution.

The president accepted the resignations on the advice of prime minister, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said. Meanwhile, the president again promulgated the Public Defence and Legal Aid Office Ordinance, 2009. The ordinance aims to provide free legal aid to poor litigants so that they could pursue their cases in courts.

The ordinance promulgated earlier will expire on Nov 5, 2009. The draft bill laid before the National Assembly is expected to take some time in becoming an act of parliament.

This is the reason why the earlier ordinance had to be re-promulgated.