Monday, May 19, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 12, 1429    

PPP committed to restore judges: Naek

M S Tanvir

Islamabad—Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H Naek Sunday reiterated Pakistan Peoples Party’s firm commitment to reinstatement of the deposed judges.

He told a private TV channel that “PPP and its Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari are always committed to reinstatement of the deposed judges, adding that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had the desire to restore deposed judges through the Parliament.

To a question, he said as far as re-appointment and reinstatement of the judges is concerned, the constitution only talks about the appointment of judges in article 193 and 197 with respect to the high court judges and it does not talk about the reinstatement.

He said there were views that whether the word ‘reinstatement’ should be used in the notification that would be issued on the basis of the resolution to be passed by the joint session of the parliament or the word “appointment” should be used as it has been mentioned in the constitution. He said there was complete unanimity of views among the coalition partners about seniority and back benefits of the judges as laid down in the rules and regulations. “They should be awarded their seniority and pensionary benefits,” he added.

Farooq Naek said many things were discussed with PML-N during talks on the issue of judiciary and there was only difference over the modalities regarding reinstatement of the deposed judges.

Elaborating, he said under the Judges Act-1997 the number of judges is 17 and if existing and deposed judges are counted it goes to 27, which needs amendment in the act to accommodate all judges.

So, PPP discussed with PML-N that what was the best way out to accommodate all judges and it was agreed that there should be legislation and accordingly a bill would be tabled in the National Assembly and the Senate for bringing amendment in the Judges Act-1997, he said.

He said adopting the set-procedure takes some time to resolve the judiciary issue and PPP was committed to reinstatement the deposed judges but, through constitutional and legal way.