Lawyers received Rs40m to prepare reference against CJ: Awan

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Babar Awan asserted that 25 lawyers were paid more than Rs40 million to prepare a reference against the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The Law Minister made these comments during a National Assembly session in Islamabad. He said the money was paid to the lawyers by the previous government to prepare a reference against CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Giving details of the money distribution, the minister affirmed Senator Wasim Sajjad was paid Rs8.2 million, Sharifuddin Pirzada got Rs4.5 million, Khalid Ranjha bagged Rs4 million and Malik Qayyum recieved another Rs3 million.

In March 2007, former president Musharraf filed a reference of misconduct against the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry. The reference enabled the Supreme Judicial Council to suspend him from his post.