Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with consent of other judges has fixed December 19 as the date for resumption of hearing in memo case by the nine-member SC bench. Notice has also been issued to the Attorney General for Pakistan.
Earlier on December 1, the nine-member SC bench headed by the CJ had obtained the consent of former FIA director general Tariq Khosa to work as the head of the commission formed to probe the ‘memogate’ issue. However, Khosa later refused to lead the probe.
The SC registrar placed the matter with the CJ, who directed him to circulate the note about Khosa’s inability to all bench judges.
All the judges then agreed to hear the case on December 19.
SC admonishes AG for issuing ‘memogate’ case clarification: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday admonished Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Maulvi Anwarul Haq for issuing clarification in the media that he had appeared before the nine-member Supreme Court bench in the “memogate” case on court notice and did not represent the federation.
During the hearing of a suo motu case pertaining to torture on a 15-year-old boy by police, the CJ told the AG that being the chief law officer of the country, he represented the whole federation, thus he could not be asked in every case that whether the government had permitted him to represent it or not.
The CJ said the AG’s appearance in any case would be a representation of the government and there was no need to issue him notice in every case.
He further asked the AG that if a matter was critical, his appearance before the bench was binding.
“If you want the court to ask you to get permission from the government for your appearance in every case, the court has no objection, but your (AGP) office will be disgraced by it,” the CJ said.
In his clarification issued to media, the AG had said that he had appeared before the nine-member larger bench in terms of Order XXVII-A of Civil Procedure Code, 1908 as principal law office of the court in response to a notice served on him.
He had issued the clarification after some TV talk shows had stated that the federation was represented by the AG, whereas PPP leaders and ministers had contended that the federation was not heard by the court.
