Pakistan

SC asks govt to clarify constitutional status of PCO judges

CJ says country has faced enough martial laws and it was time to set the record straight.

Express March 21, 2011

ISLAMABAD: A seven-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan on Monday asked the federal government to clarify the constitutional status of PCO judges.

The court issued these directives to the federal government during the hearing of contempt notices served to the PCO judges.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed that the country had faced enough martial laws and that it was time to set the record straight.

The attorney general sought time from the court to submit a reply in this regard. The hearing was therefore adjourned till April 4.

COMMENTS (4)

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply On one hand the SC pokes his nose in every administrative appointment and in many cases in the prosecutors also. It means that SC wants to be prosecutor and the Judge at the same time! The issue of PCO judges is several years old and this rather large bench of SC had no idea about their legality as yet? They want the govt to give its opinion so they can reject that right away! Regarding several PCO judges including Justice Dogar, the SC wasted a lot of time in their hearing and finally none of them ever punished as they were the part of the Alib Baba & 40 thieves. All SC CJ got was their apology. So much time and efforts of SC, just to get a personal apology? How much more egotiscit one can be? If the cases have to end like that, then from day one put the condition of apology or jail and not waste the time of SC on such person issues. In the US, which cannot have more than 9 SC judges, SC only accepts cases that have been tried in the lower courts first. They do not start with a bench of 17 judges as if they have nothing better to do. By making SC an initial trial court and not the final appeals court they have made a mockery of justice. Please have some shame and concentrate on the cases which are waiting for decades. Mirza, USA

Inqalabi | 13 years ago | Reply including CJ if he ever accepted PCO. :P Look who are calling other PCO affected. They are also PCO affected judges. This judicary has disappointed the nation.

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Uza Syed | 13 years ago | Reply What is this ------- na·ive·té or plainstupidity ? ------ Since when courts need guidance from the Federal Government about how criminals ought to be treated? If we have put a bunch kids in there then, they all must be sent home immediately, alone, for their this innocence.

Razi | 13 years ago | Reply All PCO judges wether they took PCO oath now or before, must be sacked once for all. Moreover all Generals, officials and Politicians supported PCO must also be sacked.

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