ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has opted out from the bench which will hear the unconditional apology and contempt of court cases of PCO judges, including Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, and the corruption case against former Attorney General Latif Khan Khosa.

The chief justice has formed a five-member bench, headed by Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday and comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice S. Khawaja and Ghulam Rabbani to hear these cases.

The Supreme Court has issued notices of contempt of court to 26 judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts for violation of the verdict of the seven-member bench of the apex court, which was handed down on November 3, 2007. These judges had taken oath under Musharraf’s PCO despite the fact that the apex court had barred them to do so.

Following the issuance of these notices, 13 judges have sought an unconditional apology from the Supreme Court. — DawnNews