September 17, 2007	Monday	Ramazan 04, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Sept 16: The Supreme Court will take up on Monday petitions challenging President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s dual offices.

The nine-member bench, hearing seven identical petitions, comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice Falak Sher, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice M. Javed Buttar, would be headed by Justice Rana Bhagwandas.

The petitions also challenge Gen Musharraf’s standing as a candidate for presidential polls.

The counsel for the petitioners are also likely to protest against the recent amendment in the presidential election rules recently notified by the Election Commission.

The bench is also to decide on fresh applications moved by some petitioners, seeking the formation of a full court.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry will not sit on the Supreme Court’s larger bench.

He has opted to chair a three-judge bench comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk and Justice Sayyed Saeedul Ashahd.

Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, who headed the 13-member bench that reinstated Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry as Chief Justice of Pakistan on July 20, is also not on the bench hearing the case against the president’s holding of dual offices.

He will head another bench comprising Chaudhry Ejaz Ahmad and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.