ISLAMABAD – Giving priority to the government’s review petition against the NRO verdict, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry delayed the hearings of petitions against the 18th Amendment, originally scheduled to be held on April 18, till the third week of May subject to availability of the bench.
The CJP said in a brief order that the hearings had been adjourned because of the hearing of the review plea against the NRO verdict scheduled to be conducted by the full court, headed by the CJP himself, on April 18. A three-member bench headed by Chaudhry will also recommence on April 18 the hearing of a presidential reference to reopen the case of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, which is another reason for the 18th Amendment hearings to be delayed.
On October 21, 2010, the 17-member full court had referred a controversial article of the constitution to parliament for review. Article 175A, newly inserted in the constitution under the 18th Amendment, envisages scrutiny of judges’ appointment by a parliamentary committee. It also empowers legislators to veto appointments to the superior judiciary.
It was challenged in the apex court by more than 20 petitions.
