Acting Pak CJ constitutes full court

Islamabad, May 8 (UNI) Pakistan's acting Chief Justice Rana Bhagwandas has constituted a full court to hear petition of former top judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The 12-member bench will hear the case on daily basis from May 14, Pakistan's private Geo TV reported.

The Supreme Court had yesterday stayed proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which was inquiring into the presidential reference against Chaudhry.

A larger bench of the apex court, which met in Islamabad to hear the petition of Justice Chaudhry had also accepted government's request for constitution of a full court.

The petition challenged Chaudhry's suspension of March 9 under a presidential reference as well as constitution and competence of the SJC to try the Chief Justice.

Meanwhile, the bar associations all over Pakistan will celebrate the court's decision tomorrow.

"Functions will be organized in all the bars on Wednesday," Chaudhry's lawyer Munir A Malik told UNI here.

He said the Chief Justice will go to Karachi on May 12 to address Sindh High Court bar association.

UNI