LAHORE, March 3: A committee of the Pakistan Bar Council found nine candidates fit for enrolment as advocates of the Supreme Court at a meeting here on Saturday.

Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry presided over the meeting attended by enrolment committee member Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari.

The meeting took up 17 applications for enrolment and one application for resumption of practice.

After interviews, the committee found the following candidates fit for enrolment: Mirza Hussain Khan (Quetta), Qazi Muhammad Latif, Jafar Husain, Shaikh Najamul Hasan (Lahore), Abdul Qudus (Sheikhupura), Mian Khalid Rashid, Mahboob Azhar Shaikh, Muhammad Iqbal Hashmi and Akbar Munir (Lahore).

Four applicants were not found up to the mark and their cases were deferred for further consideration.

Cases of another four applicants were deferred because of their absence.

The committee also considered the application of former district and sessions judge Saleem Aftab Sheikh for resumption of practice as an advocate of the Supreme Court.

The applicant was first removed from service on charges of misconduct and corruption but subsequently on his appeal, his removal from service was converted into compulsory retirement.

The applicant was, therefore, required to file an affidavit stating that has not incurred any disqualification under the provisions of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973, for enrolment as an advocate during the period his practising certificate remained suspended in terms of Rule 108-0 of the Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules, 1976.

His case was deferred for further consideration in the next meeting.—APP