CJP wants early conclusion of Siddiqui’s case

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has said the court wanted to conclude hearing  of a case against the removal of former Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui soon as two judges sitting on the bench are to retire in the next two months.

A five-member larger bench, headed by CJP Umar Ata Bandial, is hearing the former judge's petition against his dismissal from office.

The chief justice told Hamid Khan, counsel for Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, to conclude his arguments in the case saying the court wanted to conclude the case as 14 hearings of the case have already been held.

The CJP said two members on the bench were to retire in July and August and it would be difficult to constitute a larger bench due to backlog of cases if the case remained undecided prior to their retirement.

The court told the counsel to conclude his arguments about the maintainability of the petition against the report of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Hamid Khan requested the court to be given an hour more in the next hearing to conclude his arguments. The court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow (Tuesday) saying it would hear the attorney general in the case.