Pak Govt restores four more sacked judges

Pak Govt reappointed another four judges sacked by Ex-President Pervez Musharraf, takin the number of restored judges to 12.

Pakistan government reappointed another four judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday, taking to 12 the number of justices restored since Wednesday amid allegations that it was pursuing policy of ‘selective’ reinstatement.

The four judges of the Lahore High Court, who were among 60 deposed during last year’s emergency, were administered oath by provincial Chief Justice Syed Zahid Hussain Bukhari at a simple ceremony in the eastern city.

Judges, law officers of the federal and provincial governments and lawyers affiliated to the ruling PPP attended the event.

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The federal government’s policy of ‘selectively’ reinstating the judges has been criticised by the influential lawyers’ movement and the PML-N, which pulled out of the PPP-led coalition after accusing party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of reneging on agreements to restore all the judges.

Office-bearers of the Lahore High Court Bar Association did not attend Saturday’s ceremony to register their protest. Strict security arrangements were put in place for the event and ordinary persons were not allowed to enter the venue.

In a notification, the federal Law Ministry said that the strength of the Lahore High Court had been raised to 60 judges. But with the addition of four judges, the High Court still only has 37 judges.