Dissolved: Verdict reserved on Malik’s pardon

Zardari had set aside the sentence of Malik the day LHC had restored it which showed abuse of power by the president.

LAHORE: Following the elevation of former Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry to the Supreme Court, a full bench that had earlier reserved its verdict on a petition challenging presidential pardon to Interior Minister Rehman Malik has been dissolved. Chief Justice Azmat Saaed will now constitute a new bench. Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi, the media coordinator of Save Judiciary Committee, had filed the petition and requested the court to set aside the order granting presidential pardon to Malik against conviction by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in two corruption references and restore his sentence. He said that President Zardari had set aside the sentence of Malik the day that LHC had restored it which showed abuse of power by the president. Following the arguments, the bench comprising the then Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan had reserved its judgment.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2011.