News
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Govt opposes appointment of ad hoc judges
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to adhere to the stance of bar councils regarding the appointment of two ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court for the hearing of expected appeal by the prime minister against his conviction. Talking to Daily Times, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs Fawad Chaudhry said that the government would respect the bar councils’ point of view regarding the appointment of ad hoc judges in the apex court, saying the bar councils had already passed three resolutions against such appointments. He asked why the Judicial Council of Pakistan was not elevating senior-most judges to the apex court. Objecting to the nomination of two retired judges for ad hoc appointments, Fawad said both are “biased”, therefore the Pakistan People’s Party has serious reservations about their reappointments. He said Article 182 of the constitution empowers the president to approve the ad hoc judges’ appointments, and he would not appoint “biased” judges. Fawad contended that the process regarding the appointment of new judges would not be completed in the next three months; therefore the chief justice of Pakistan, using his suo motu power, should suspend the conviction against the prime minister until the decision on his (the PM’s) expected appeal against the court’s April 25 order. Reacting to the chief justice’s speech in Sibi, he said the address proved that Yousaf Raza Gilani was a legal prime minister. hasnaat malik
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk