May 04, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 27, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 3: The legal committee tasked to prepare a framework for the reinstatement of deposed judges began its deliberations in ‘a positive direction’ here on Saturday, Law Minister Farooq Naek said after its first formal meeting.

“We have deliberated on how to reinstate the deposed judges in accordance with the Bhurban Declaration and subsequent notification for their reinstatement and at the same time retaining the sitting judges,” the law minister told reporters who were made to wait outside the Federal Secretariat, purposely at a safe distance.

Constitutional experts believe that the discussion must have revolved around enhancing the existing strength of the Supreme Court from 17 to 27 judges or more in an effort to retain the sitting judges. For that matter an amendment would have to be brought in the Supreme Court Judges Act 1997 under which the number of judges in the Supreme Court was increased to 17 judges from then 12 at the time when Sajjad Ali Shah was the Chief Justice after the verdict delivered in the 1996 judges case.

The formation of the legal committee was announced by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Friday after the conclusion of talks in Dubai between PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari and him to work out details for the restoration of the pre-emergency judiciary on May 12 in accordance with the Bhurban Declaration.

Though the declaration had set a 30-day deadline for the reinstatement of deposed judges but since the coalition partners missed it, the cut-off date was extended to May 12 on which date the National Assembly would adopt a promised resolution seeking restoration of the unconstitutionally and illegally deposed judges to their offices, to be followed by a notification by the government the same day.

Led by Law Minister Farooq H Naek, the committee comprises Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Aitzaz Ahsan, former law minister Abdul Hafeez Peerzada, Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, Senator Raza Rabbani and Khwaja Haris, a Lahore-based lawyer. In addition to the committee members, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif and Chaudhry Nisar also attended the meeting.

“The deliberations proceeded in a positive direction,” the minister said adding that the meeting would resume again on Monday after a brief recess at 8:30 pm inside the Punjab House.

Modalities are being discussed though the goal is the same, which is to reinstate the judges in the spirit of the Bhurban Declaration, the minister assured the media. “That is why we are seeking the assistance of the constitutional experts,” Mr Naek said.