KARACHI/ISLAMABAD, March 21: Rana Bhagwandas, the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, returned home on Wednesday after a private visit to India. He refused to comment on the judicial crisis after a battery of reporters sought his views as soon as he came out of the lounge of the Karachi Airport upon arrival from New Delhi.
“I cannot comment on the situation for the time being and would be able to say something only after taking oath of my new responsibilities.”
To a question about his oath as chief justice, he said: “I cannot say anything. It depends on the notification.”
Later talking to a private TV channel at his residence, Justice Bhagwandas said that everything would be done in accordance with the Constitution and law.
The plane carrying Justice Bhagwandas from the Indian capital touched down at Karachi at 4.50pm. The judge left the lounge at 5.40pm.
Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed accompanied Justice Bhagwandas to the latter’s house from the airport.
Justice Sabihuddin, too, was non-committal when journalists sought his reaction to appeals by lawyers’ associations seeking his resignation in protest over the president’s action against the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
OATH AS ACJ: Justice Rana Bhagwandas is likely to be sworn in as the acting chief justice of the Supreme Court on Saturday after his leave ends on March 23.
The secretary for law, Justice (retd) Mansoor Ahmad, told Dawn that his ministry had submitted a case before authorities concerned to appoint Justice Bhagwandas as the acting chief justice.
He said there was no chance that Justice Bhagwandas resumed his official duties before his leave ended, the secretary said.
Justice Bhagwandas had gone to Lucknow on a private visit to meditate in the Ashram of Nilu Bhagwan, a spiritual lady from Sindh, where she once lived as Nilu Sanjnani.
Justice Bhagwandas is the second non-Muslim judge in Pakistan to reach the top position in the judiciary. Justice A R Cornelius, a Christian, had served as the chief justice from 1960 to 1968.
LIFE-SKETCH: Justice Rana Bhagwandas was born in Naseerabad, Larkana district, in December 1942. He did an LLM from Karachi University in 1981. The subject of his thesis was the law of contempt. He also has an MA in Islamic studies.
Justice Bhagwandas joined the judicial service in July 1967.
He was elevated to the Sindh High Court in 1994 and joined the Supreme Court in Feb 2000.
Besides graduation in law, he has also done masters in Islamic Studies.
Justice Bhagwandas is a father of three — two sons and a daughter.
