Govt forms judicial commission

Govt constitutes judicial commission to investigate an alleged plot to assassinate Justice Khawaja

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Sunday decided to constitute a judicial commission to investigate an alleged plot to assassinate Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, the chief justice of the Lahore High Court.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior confirmed to The Express Tribune that Punjab Governor Salman Taseer has been informed about the decision to constitute the commission to investigate the alleged plot.

“Interior Minister Rehman Malik is now waiting to get names of members of the Judicial Commission from provincial registrars of high courts,” the spokesperson said. In this regard, a notification will be issued today (Monday), the spokesperson added.

Malik also directed Interior Secretary Qamar Zaman to form the commission after receiving the names of its members, who would be nominated by the registrar of the Lahore High Court.

Earlier, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has asked Governor Salman Taseer to approach the federal government for the formation of a judicial commission to probe into the alleged plot. Taseer wrote a letter to the Supreme Court and sought a judicial inquiry into the alleged plot.

In reply to this letter, the chief justice said: “The federal government under clause 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act 1956 has the authority to constitute a commission to probe into the matter of public importance.”

So, the Punjab governor can contact the federal government for pursuing his purpose, the statement issued by the office of registrar of the Supreme Court said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2010.