CJP constitutes larger bench for Bhutto case
Hearing of presidential reference to begin on December 12.
ISLAMABAD:
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry constituted an eleven-member larger bench on Monday to resume hearing the presidential reference to revisit the murder trial of PPP founder and former premier of the country Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on December 12.
The president had written a letter to the chief justice on Saturday to resume hearing of the reference, which has been pending before the court since June, at the earliest possible date.
In view of the importance of the reference, senior advocates Ali Ahmed Kurd, Tariq Mehmood, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, Qazi Muhammad Ashraf, Makhdoom Ali Khan, SM Zafar, Aitzaz Ahsan, Zahoorul Haq and Abdul Latif Afridi were appointed as amicus curiae for the case.
Three judges of the apex court who were part of the larger bench namely Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui and Justice Ghulam Rabbani have retired.
The larger bench includes Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasir ul Mulk, Justice Jawwad S. Khawja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani and Justice Amir Hani Muslim that will take up the presidential reference sent to the apex court under Article 186.
The counsels for the parties as well as amicus curiae have been requested to ensure their presence for the case as it is likely to proceed on a day-to-day basis from December 12 to 16 as the court will break for winter vacations from December 19 to 31.
Notices to all concerned including the incumbent president of Supreme Court Bar Association have been issued.
This case was earlier fixed before the court on various dates during April to June. On April 21, a three-Judge bench headed by the chief justice decided to constitute a larger bench.
On the last date of hearing, June 29, the matter was adjourned by the larger bench with the observation that the case would begin subject to availability of the bench.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2011.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry constituted an eleven-member larger bench on Monday to resume hearing the presidential reference to revisit the murder trial of PPP founder and former premier of the country Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on December 12.
The president had written a letter to the chief justice on Saturday to resume hearing of the reference, which has been pending before the court since June, at the earliest possible date.
In view of the importance of the reference, senior advocates Ali Ahmed Kurd, Tariq Mehmood, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, Qazi Muhammad Ashraf, Makhdoom Ali Khan, SM Zafar, Aitzaz Ahsan, Zahoorul Haq and Abdul Latif Afridi were appointed as amicus curiae for the case.
Three judges of the apex court who were part of the larger bench namely Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui and Justice Ghulam Rabbani have retired.
The larger bench includes Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasir ul Mulk, Justice Jawwad S. Khawja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani and Justice Amir Hani Muslim that will take up the presidential reference sent to the apex court under Article 186.
The counsels for the parties as well as amicus curiae have been requested to ensure their presence for the case as it is likely to proceed on a day-to-day basis from December 12 to 16 as the court will break for winter vacations from December 19 to 31.
Notices to all concerned including the incumbent president of Supreme Court Bar Association have been issued.
This case was earlier fixed before the court on various dates during April to June. On April 21, a three-Judge bench headed by the chief justice decided to constitute a larger bench.
On the last date of hearing, June 29, the matter was adjourned by the larger bench with the observation that the case would begin subject to availability of the bench.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2011.