| GEO Pakistan | | SC to hear petitions against NRO verdict, 18th Amendment today | Updated at: 0124 PST, Monday, May 24, 2010
 ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court is set to take up significant cases from Monday (today) including pleas over certain provisions of 18th Amendment, besides, review pleas regarding its decision on National Reconciliation Ordinance.
The 17-member larger bench will comprise Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui, Justice Jawad S. Khawaja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday.
Justice Zahid Hussain will not be included in the bench as he has been facing contempt notice over Provisional Constitutional Ordinance 2007 matter.
These constitutional petitions were filed under Article 184 by Nadeem Ahmed Advocate, District Bar Association Rawalpindi, Watan Party through its Chairman Zafar Ullah Khan, Supreme Court Bar Association through its President, Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq of PML-Z, Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench, Bar Association Rawalpindi through Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi, Pakistan Lawyers Forum through its President A.K.Dogar, Sardar Khan Niazi, Shahid Orakzai, Kowkab Iqbal, Al Jehad Trust through Habibul Wahab-ul-Khairi and District Bar Associations.
The petitioners have challenged the Judicial Commission for appointment of superior courts' judges and called for immediate annulment of Article 175-A by terming it against the freedom of judiciary.
Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) President and former federal minister Ijazul Haq had raised concerns over amendments to Articles 1(2)(a), 17, 51(6) (d)&(e) read with Articles 106(3)(c), 63 (g) &(h), 63-A and 175-A.
The petitioners have said that the Parliament cannot amend the constitution in a way as it had changed the basic structure of judiciary.
The Judicial Commission provision was unanimously passed by both Houses of Parliament, which would work for appointment of judges of superior judiciary.
The same bench will also take up pleas seeking review of its NRO judgement delivered on main plea of Dr Mobashir Hassan. The Federation had sought explanation of certain aspects of NRO verdict.
Along with these pleas, the bench will hear pleas of Malik Muhammad Qayyum former attorney general, Abdul Basir Qureshi, Naveed Ahsan and Dr. Danishwar Malik.
Malik Qayyum would contend an order passed against him in detailed verdict of NRO while apex Court's direction for removal of Abdul Basir Qureshi, Naved Ahsan and Danishwar Malik, former officials of NAB, had also been challenged by them.
Another larger bench of Justice Nasir ul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Jawwad S. Khawja, Justice Rehmat Hussain Jafferi and Justice Tariq Parvez will hear cases related to promotion of Ahmed Riaz Sheikh, former additional DG FIA and a NRO beneficiary, on May 25.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs would appear and apprise the bench over steps taken to implement its NRO verdict.
On May 24, the same bench will also hear Bank of Punjab loan scam in which its former president Hamesh Khan, deported from US, would also appear. |  |
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