SC reserves verdict on PCO judges’ intra-court appeals

SC had earlier asked govt to submit report on constitutional status of the PCO judges.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the PCO judges’ intra-court appeals.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary remarked that if they were not made to answer for their decision, it would mean reverting to the doctrine of necessity.

The chief justice said that after the amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution, no one would dare to abrogate it in the future.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq submitted that only the Supreme Judicial Council could take up the matter of the PCO judges under article 209 of the Constitution but the Chief Justice remarked that the question regarding the legal status of PCO judges raised by the court had not been addressed.

The  chief justice remarked that the attorney general did not clarify if the PCO was ratified by parliament.

Raza Kazim, counsel for Hamid Shah said that the government has endorsed his stance and that action against the judges could be taken only under Article 209.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th,  2011.