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Five judges elevated to Supreme Court, new CJs for 3 high courts

MEHMUD AHMED

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Justice Irshad Hassan Khan on Wednesday, said that he 'hoped and prayed' that the Parliament would start functioning soon and women would be able to play their role in the service of the society.

The Chief Justice made this observation when petitions for restoration of women's seats in the National Assembly came up before a division bench of the Supreme Court presided over by him. Until that time, the Chief Justice told Hafiz S A Rahman, counsel for petitioners, there would be no use to pass an order in that respect. The petition had been moved by Shehnaz Bokhari, a women's rights activist, quite some time ago.

The Chief Justice pointed out that the Constitution was in abeyance and the National Assembly, the Senate or the provincial assemblies were not functioning and hence there was no substance in the move. He said when the legislatures re-appear the Court could examine the request and pass an order. He concurred with Tanvir Bashir Ansari, the Deputy Attorney General, that such matters could be taken up after the petitions questioning the validity of the Provisional Constitutional Order were decided by the court. Those petitions are now fixed for hearing from March 1. Hafiz S A Rahman later accepted the suggestion to withdraw his petition saying that it would not impair his right to re-agitate the issue in a politically correct atmosphere.

The bench dismissed another petition on the subject moved by advocate Kaukab Iqbal as he was not present in the court. The Chief Justice expressed his displeasure over his absence and hoped that the lawyers seeking legal remedies would ensure that they are present when their cases are fixed for hearing.

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The President on Wednesday moved to the Supreme Court three reigning Chief Justices of the provincial courts, one sitting and one retired Chief Justice to fill in half of the positions lying vacant in the apex judicial body. Five positions are still unfilled against the approved strength of 17 judges.Similarly the President has also appointed three new Chief Justices of the Lahore, Balochistan and Sindh High Courts by elevating the sitting senior-most judges, except in the case of LHC where the second puisne judge has ascended to the office.

A notification signed and issued by the President here on Wednesday named the following five appointments to the Supreme Court:

Chief Justice Rashad Aziz Khan of the Lahore High Court;

Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui of the Sindh High Court;

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, Balochistan High Court;

Justice Qazi Mohammad Farooq, who retired as Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court a month or so ago, and Mr. Justice Rana Baghwandas a sitting judge of the Sindh High Court.

The new judges knew about their impending move as their names had been forwarded to the President by former Chief Justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui last month.They are expected to hand over their charges some time on Thursday and fly to Islamabad to take oath of their office on Friday morning.

They will be administered oath by the new Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Irshad Hassan Khan, under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).

The new provincial Chief Justices are: Justice Mian Allah Dad of the Lahore High Court, Justice Deedar Hussain Shah of the Sindh High Court and Justice Javed Iqbal of the Balochistan High Court.

They will be sworn-in under the PCO by the provincial governors on Friday.