ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza
Gilani on Sunday ruled out
confrontation with the judiciary
through his yielding action as he
approved de-notification of PCO judges
under apex court’s direction.
According
to officials, the Prime Minister while approving the de-notification of
judges in light of the relevant verdict and directions of the Supreme
Court of Pakistan has observed “we would not let the elements vying for
institutional confrontation succeed.”
A five-judge bench under
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary had given four days to the
government on Friday to de-notify PCO judges. This latest deadline was
to expire on Tuesday while the Prime Minister has paved the way for
de-notification on Monday (today) as he accorded approval on Sunday,
the officials added.
Initially the apex court had directed the
government to do so on May 18 and later on fixed July 26 as the first
deadline for required action. According to certain reports, the Prime
Minister was counter-checking whether the action of de-notification
would fall within constitutional parameters of the executive.
Meanwhile
a press released issued by the Prime Minister House on Sunday afternoon
stated that the Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has approved
de-notification of the judges in pursuance of decision of the Chief
Justice of Pakistan/Chairman, Supreme Judicial Council.
According
to the handout, Lahore High Court judges to be de-notified include Mr.
Justice Syed Shabbar Raza Rizvi, Mr. Justice Syed Hamid Ali Shah, Mr.
Justice Hasnat Ahmad Khan, Mr. Justice Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah.
Similarly Justice Mrs. Yasmin Abbasey of Sindh High Court would also be
de-notified as per the approval.
According to the PM House
statement, these judges will be entitled for the service and pensioner
benefit upto April 20, 2010 when Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment
was passed.
“The Prime Minister attaches great importance to
the independence of judiciary,” it said. “The designs of certain
elements to pitch the institutions against each other will be foiled”,
it added quoting the Prime Minister. Online
