8 SHC judges reinstated

Islamabad/KARACHI - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led coalition government has inflicted a severe blow on the unity of deposed judges and lawyers’ movement by convincing eight sacked judges of Sindh High Court (SHC) to reassume chargeof their offices after taking fresh oaths.

As a result of hectic efforts by Federal Law Minister Farook H Naek for several weeks, President Pervez Musharraf Wednesday gave the formal approval of re-appointment of these judges when the leaders of ruling coalition were busy in deliberating upon methodology to oust the latter from Presidency under media spotlight.

Earlier, Acting Chief Justice Sindh High Court, Justice Aziz Ullah Memon moved a recommendation of these appointments with the seniority adjustments to Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar.

From the office of Chief Justice of Pakistan, the summary of these appointments was sent to presidency through Law Ministry.

All this was happening when the leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PML-N were about to hold ‘crucial’ talks at Zardari House to sort out their differences on impeaching Musharraf and restoring sacked judges.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that two of the reappointed judges of Sindh High Court belong to the chambers of two top supporters of lawyers’ movement.

Among these, Justice Faisal Arab belongs to the chamber of Justice Fakhr-ud-Din G Ibrahim while one of his brother judges set to retake the oath belongs to the chamber of former Chief Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqi.

Both these judges have reportedly consulted their seniors before giving consent to Farook H Naek, the architect of fresh oaths under the third schedule.