Supreme Court suspends its order on extension of judges

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Friday suspended till April 11 its order on the rejection of parliamentary committee’s veto on the extension of judges by the Judicial Commission.

By Afzal Khan

Published: Sun 3 Apr 2011, 12:01 AM

Last updated: Tue 19 May 2020, 5:53 PM

The court passed the order on a review petition filed by the Federation against the apex court’s decision which over-ruled a decision by the parliamentary committee on Monday.
The issue had pitted the judiciary and the Parliament against each other in a controversy over the parameters of their jurisdiction. The committee had refused to grant extension to six judges of the Lahore and Sindh high courts.
On Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the federation’s request to change counsel.The federation had earlier requested the court to allow it to appoint Waseem Sajjad as its counsel.
The court had directed the federal government to issue a notification endorsing the extension of the six judges in line with the recommendations made by the Judicial Commission last month.
On March 4, the Supreme Court had turned down the eight-member bipartisan Parliamentary Committee’s decision to reject the Judicial Commission’s recommendation to grant a one-year extension to six additional judges of the Lahore and Sindh high courts.
In a related development, the Supreme Court adjourned hearing in contempt notices it had issued to two leaders of the Sindh Pakistan People’s Party in till April 11. Senator Tajdar Haider and Sindh lawmaker Sharjeel Memon appeared before the court to defend the accusations they had condemned the court decision annulling the appointment of Justice Deedar Shah as chairman of National Accountability Bureau.
At the hearing, about 70 members of the assembly led by Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza accompanied the two leaders. Talking to newsmen before the hearing, Dr Mirza warned that all PPP members of the Sindh Assembly would court arrest if the SC convicted the two party leaders.
“We respect the judiciary but feel that Justice Shah was targeted because of being a Sindhi and disqualified for life to be NAB chairman,” Mirza said.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on the occasion lauded the sacrifices made by the PPP for restoration of democracy. He said all concerned must maintain the dignity and respect of court decisions.
mafzalkhan@yahoo.com