Dual offices: Four-member bench named to hear case

Bench will resume hearing on a constitutional petition, against the president of Pakistan.

LAHORE: The Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court on Saturday re-constituted a four-member full bench that will resume hearing on a constitutional petition, against the president of Pakistan for holding two offices, by January 10.

Earlier, a five-member bench had been hearing the case but stood dissolved after one of its members, Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rahman, was appointed Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The bench was hearing the view of the amicus curiae in an ex-parte hearing. The new bench will be headed by CJ Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ehsan are other members. A petition filed by Pakistan Lawyers Forum questions Asif Ali Zardari holding two offices, that of the President of Pakistan and PPP co-chairperson.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2011.