ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) will resume hearing on the presidential reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry today (Wednesday). The SJC comprises-Acting Chief Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain and Chief Justice Sindh High Court, Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed.
The hearing will also continue on Thursday. On last hearing, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, senior counsel for the respondent (Justice Iftikhar) had advanced arguments on the vires of the PO 27 as validated under the Validation of Laws Act 1975, President’s March 9 order of restraining the Chief Justice, Articles 209, 270-A and 175(3) of the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court in different judgments and the power of the President and the SJC under the Constitution to restrain a judge of a superior court from performing his functions till the conclusion of the reference. It is expected that Aitzaz Ahsan would conclude his arguments on preliminary legal objections. The panel of lawyers representing Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry includes- Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Munir A. Malik, Vice President Pakistan Bar Council (PBC Ali Ahmed Kurd, Justice (r) Tariq Mehmood and Hamid Khan. On last hearing, the SJC had also rejected the written request of the CJ seeking deferment of the Council’s proceedings in view of the pending petition of the Chief Justice before the Supreme Court bench. The SJC had preferred to go ahead with the reference since the apex court did not stay its proceedings.—Agencies