Justice Bandial takes oath as acting CJP

Supreme Court (SC) Justice Umar Ata Bandial took oath as the acting chief justice of Pakistan on Friday in the absence of Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed who is not in the country.

The oath was administered by Justice Qazi Faez Isa in a simple ceremony at the Supreme Court in Islamabad. Justice Bandial will act as chief justice till the return of CJP Gulzar Ahmed.

Supreme Court judges, senior lawyers, law officers and officers of the Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan attended the ceremony.

Read Justice Isa reference tainted with mala fide in law: SC

The SC registrar conducted the proceedings of the oath-taking ceremony. The officers and staff of the apex court were also present on the occasion.

It may be noted here that Justice Bandial was heading the 10-judge larger bench hearing Justice Isa's constitution petition against presidential reference regarding his removal. The reference was quashed as mala fide on June 19 as it sought Justice Isa’s removal in view of his failure to mention his family members’ London properties in his wealth statement.