20000126Govt requests the SC

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has filed a request with the Supreme Court for extension, by one day, of the timeframe in which it was to reply to the challenge against the Provisional Constitutional Order.

The Supreme Court had, last month, ordered the Attorney General to make the government reply available by January 17.

On the last day, the federal government petitioned the court for a week's time to finalise its replies, which expired on Monday afternoon.

The voluminous four books carrying 330 pages of the para wise reply, annexures in the shape of affidavits, notifications, the PCO and other documents were filed by the government's Advocate on Record, Chaudhary Mohammad Aslam, an hour or so before the closing time on Tuesday.

The case has to come up for hearing from the coming Monday before a specially constituted larger bench.