Pak min told not to comment on judicial crisis

Islamabad, May 10: Pakistani Ministers have been told not to speak, take part in television discussions or give press statements or interviews on any aspect of the current judicial crisis.

'Dawn' newspaper today quoted Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz as issuing the directive at the Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad.

It also requested President Pervez Musharraf to follow the guidelines set by the Supreme Court as code of conduct.

The meeting discussed in detail the current judicial crisis with particular reference to the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court about entry to the court's premises and warning to the media against scandalising or maligning the judges.

A 14-member full court will hear former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry's petition on daily basis from May 14.

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

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

UNI

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