August 17, 2007	Friday	Sha’aban 3, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum on Thursday said he had come to know about a reported meeting between Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and the President’s Chief of Staff Lt-Gen Hamid Javed through a retired judge.

“I have learnt about the meeting through a newspaper and a retired judge,” the AG told reporters here at the Supreme Court building when he was specifically asked about the meeting.

However he hastened to add that he wanted to see a viable working relationship between the executive and the judiciary. “I have sought meeting with the CJ and very soon I will meet him to discuss different issues,” he said.

Before this, the CJ, during a ceremony, had also avoided questions by journalists about his meeting with the president’s chief of staff.

On presidential re-elections the AG cited the ‘President to hold another office act’ and claimed that President Pervez Musharraf could contest the election of presidency in uniform.

“This act of the parliament will remain valid till December 31, 2007; afterwards President will have to get renewed the legislation,” he explained.

The presidential election will be conducted during the period between September 15 and October 15 and President Musharraf will be re-elected from assemblies which will be in existence at that time. “The presidential election can be postponed only in case of dissolution of the National Assembly,” he said.

On opposition’s decision to challenge presidential re- election in uniform, the AG said, first of all the nomination form for the election of president would be adjudicated by the chief election commissioner who works as a returning officer.

Only then there would be possibility of invoking jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

He also dispelled the perception that there was a need for administration of new oath to the judges.