KARACHI, Jan 4: Tenure of six additional judges of the Sindh High Court has been extended for a period of one year with effect from Sept 25, 2010.

According to a notification issued by the federal law ministry, the president in exercise of powers conferred by Article 197 of the Constitution extended the tenure of Justices Shahid Anwar Bajwa, Ghulam Sarwar Korai, Tufail H. Ebrahim, Irfan Saadat Khan, Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Munib Akhtar for one year.

On Sept 23, 2009, the president had approved the appointments of 10 additional judges for the SHC. The appointees were: Shahid Anwar Bajwa, Mrs Rukhsana Ahmed Malik, Ghulam Sarwar Korai, Ahmed Ali Shaikh, Ali Bin Adam Jafri, Bhajan Das Tejwani, Irfan Saadat Khan, Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, Munib Akhtar, and Tufail H. Ebrahim.

Sources said that the tenure of Justices Rukhsana Ahmed Malik and Bhajan Das Tejwani was not extended, while the decision on Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh was likely to be taken shortly.

It may be recalled that Justice Ali Bin Adam Jafri had resigned on health grounds.

Petition against petroleum prices

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed the federal law and finance secretaries and the chief of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to file comments on a petition challenging the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products.

The petition was filed by Advocate Moulvi Iqbal Haider, who prayed to the court to declare the increase illegal and in violation of Article 77 read with Articles 4, 5, 9, 14, 18 and 25 of the Constitution.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany issued notices to the respondents and the deputy attorney general and put off the hearing till Jan 18.

The petitioner submitted in his petition that the government shifted the burden of its overspending, mismanagement and corruption to the public which was in violation of Article 77 read with Articles 5, 8, 9, 14, 18, 25, 35, 37, 38, 70, 74, 80, 81 and 82 of the Constitution.

He submitted that the formula for increase and decrease in the petroleum products prices should be tabled before parliament to authorise Ogra to effect prices under approved criteria/formula through enactment.

He prayed to the court to declare the increase in the petroleum products prices and imposition of the general sales tax and other taxes upon such increase as contrary to Article 77 read with Articles 4 and 5 of the Constitution.

The petitioner also prayed to the court to direct the respondents to table the formula of price increase in parliament.