Pakistan SC Adjourns Presidential Reference Hearing 
'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau

ISLAMABAD: The 13-member full court bench of the Supreme Court Monday adjourned hearing of the constitutional petition of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and other petitions against the presidential reference and formation of the Supreme Judicial Council, till today, Tuesday.

Barrister Zafrullah and Akram Shaikh advocate have completed their arguments relating to the maintainability of the petitions.

Akram Shaikh in his arguments said that the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has no powers to issue orders to the chief justice.

The meeting of the SJC held on March 9 was not scheduled and the reference filed on the basis of intelligence reports has no legal status, he said.

During the hearing, Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada as a senior advocate and member of the parliament started his arguments. His arguments were still continued when the hearing was adjourned till tomorrow (Tuesday).

The court headed by Justice Khalilur Rahman Ramday and comprising Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice M Javed Buttar, Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Ch Ijaz Ahmed, Justice Syed Jamshed Ali, Justice Hamid Ali Mirza and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.

Dismisses Petition

Meanwhile, a three-member bench on Monday dismissed the petition filed by a freelance journalist against the Supreme Court Bar Association over alleged derogatory speeches and slogans against national institutions during the seminar held on May 26 at the auditorium of the apex court.

The bench comprising Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Tassaddaque Hussain Jillani heard the case and directed the petitioner to withdraw the petition and file an amended petition, if he so desired, in the Supreme Court in accordance with the Constitution and law.

The petitioner Shahid Orakzai submitted his arguments on the petition, which the bench rejected terming his petition contrary to laws.

This petition is not proper and is dismissed as withdrawn, the bench ordered.

Taking up an application submitted by Interior Ministry about the seminar the bench said further proceedings could not be initiated on it and if the government wants proceedings under Contempt laws, it should file a proper petition in the Supreme Court.

The bench also directed the concerned department for placing the matter before the Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan and said if a proper petition was filed by the government the matter being very important should be heard by a bench comprising all judges of the Supreme Court.●