SC larger bench sets to take up ZAB reference case on Monday

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has constituted an-eleven member larger bench to resume hearing from Monday, a presidential reference, regarding revisiting of late premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s murder case.
The larger bench includes the Chief Justice, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasir ul Mulk, Justice Jawwad S. Khawja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani and Justice Amir Hani Muslim that will take up the Presidential reference sent to apex Court under Article 186.
The counsels for the parties as well as amicus curiae are being requested to ensure their presence for the case as it is likely to proceed on day to day basis from 12th December to 16th December, 2011 as the Court will have break for winter vacations from 19th December to 31st December 2011.
Notices to all concerned including incumbent president of Supreme Court Bar Association have been issued.
On the last date of hearing on June 29, the matter was adjourned by the larger Bench with the observation that the apex Court would take up the case subject to availability of the Bench.
On April 21, the Court had also appointed amicus curiae including senior advocates/jurists, M/s Ali Ahmed Kurd, Tariq Mehmood, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, Khalid Anwar, Makhdoom Ali Khan, S. M. Zafar, Aitzaz Ahsan, Zahoorul Haq and Abdul Latif Afridi.
Khalid Anwar had expressed his inability to assist the Court as amicus curiae by sending a written request which was accepted by the Court and in his place Qazi Muhammad Ashraf was appointed as amicus curiae.
During the course of hearing on June 29, Attorney General for Pakistan also requested more time to prepare further arguments particularly with reference to each question referred by the President of Pakistan.
While Dr Babar Awan, counsel for referring authority had completed his arguments over the case raising five major questions for the apex Court to revisit the murder case.
The amicus curiae would start their arguments in the case.
Besides, the Chief Justice of Pakistan also constituted four benches (to sit after larger bench) at the Principal seat to hear a number of important cases in the next week starting from December 12.
The first bench includes the Chief Justice and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, the second bench of Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Jawwad S. Khawja and Justice Amir Hani Muslim, third bench of Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, third bench of Justice Nasirul Mulk and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, and fourth bench of Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Tariq Parvez will take up a number of cases.
According to cause lists, no application for adjournment through fax will be placed before the Court. If the counsel is unable to appear for any reason the Advocate-on-Record will be required to argue the case. Besides, no adjournment on any ground will be granted.