SC forms larger bench to hear Malik's intra court appeal

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday formed a 5-member larger bench of Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali to hear intra-court appeal of contempt of court against former Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Three-judge headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry,
comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed
resumed hearing of the contempt of court against Rehman Malik for
replacing the investigating team probing Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM)
corruption case in 2009.


The apex court took serious notice of Interior Minister Rehman Malik's decision to transfer the then Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tariq Khosa on December 17, 2009 prior to the completion of his court ordered assignment to recover the amount
embezzled from PSM.

During the course of the proceeding, Latif Khosa, counsel for Rehman
Malik apprised the bench that an intra-court appeal had been filed
against the apex court order of March 18 in the current matter.

The Chief Justice asked the counsel whether he had a stay order
against the court order of March 18 saying the court is going to
frame a charge against Malik.

Khosa informed that an application for the stay order as well as
suspension of the court's March 18 order has been filed.

The bench inquired whether the counsel had prayed the court for fixing the intra-court appeal to which Latif Khosa said he had filed the intra-
court appeal within stipulated time that is on March 26 at 3.00 pm.

The bench ruled that proceedings in the contempt of court case against Rehman Malik would be initiated next week; and added that
Rehman Malik's intra-court appeal would be heard by a five-member
larger bench and adjourned the hearing till March 29.

Rehman Malik had tendered an unconditional apology before the
Supreme Court in a contempt of court case against him.