Zardari shies away from May 12 deadline for sacked judges' restoration

Islamabad, May 3 : Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has shied away from committing himself to the May 12 deadline announced by Nawaz Sharif for the restoration of the deposed judges.

Talking to a private TV channel, he said only the committee assigned to reach consensus on the issue could tell whether or not the resolution on judges' restoration could be tabled in the National Assembly by May 12.

When told that his lack of commitment to the fresh deadline indicated his insincerity, he hit back saying that this approach was a result of seeing things through rose coloured glasses.

Meanwhile, PPP Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H Naek told Geo News on Friday that efforts would be made to restore the judges by May 12. However, he said, if some problems emerged, the return of deposed judges could be delayed further.

He reiterated that the reinstatement of the judiciary could only be affected through a resolution, after which a notification would be issued.

He said that since according to The Judges Act, the total strength of the judges of Supreme Court has been determined to be 17, this would be augmented to 27 after the reinstatement of the deposed judges and would require an amendment which would take time.

He said that a committee had been formed to decide whether the judiciary would be reinstated by a resolution or an executive order, with Sharif and Zardari having the ultimate right to make the final decision.

Zardari, who returned to Islamabad from Dubai on Friday evening, will start deliberations with Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazlur Rehman within the next few days.

If they fail to reach any consensus, the deadline might be extended till all the coalition partners reach consensus on the mode of the restoration of judges.

ANI