NRO implementation: Larger bench to hear the case

Justice Nasirul Mulk will now head the bench because of his seniority.

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday formed a larger bench to hear the case of implementation of the judgment against the defunct National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), an official told The Express Tribune.

Justice Nasirul Mulk – who will now head the bench because of his seniority – and Justice Sirmed Jalal Osmani have been added to make it a seven-judge bench. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed comprised the five-judge bench.

The bench on Tuesday had warned the president and the prime minister of disqualification and spelled out six options for itself to exercise in case of continuation of defiance of the court order against the NRO. The bench had also referred the matter to the chief justice for formation of a larger bench in view of the importance of the matter.

The NRO verdict had specifically asked the authorities to write a letter to the Swiss government for reopening graft cases against the president.

What turn the tug between the apex court and the government would take now depends upon how the newly-formed larger bench conducts its proceedings.

Jurists believe the five-judge bench has tightened the noose around the government’s neck by warning the president and the prime minister of disqualification and initiation of contempt proceedings.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2012.