Pakistan govt notifies retirement of 37 judges

Islamabad, Dec 5: Pakistan government has notified retirement of 37 judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, who had refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) after imposition of Emergency in the country on November 3. Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justices Rana Bhagwandas, Javed Iqbal, Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday besides nine other judges of the Supreme Court were given retirement.

More than 50 judges of superior courts, including Justice Chaudhry and Chief Justices of Peshawar and Sindh High Courts --Tariq Pervez and Syed Sabih-Ud-Din Ahmed-- had refused to take oath under the PCO.

Other 24 judges of Sindh, Lahore and Peshawar High Courts were also retired from their offices under a separate official notification, The Nation newspaper reported.

These include 12 judges of the Sindh High Court, 10 judges of the Lahore High Court and another two of the Peshawar High Court, the sources added.

These judges have been thrown out of service at a time when almost all the leading political parties, civil society, the lawyer community and several nations, including the US, were strongly demanding their reinstatement.

All the retired judges will be deprived of pension and other post-retirement benefits on account of being ''terminated'' from service.

Other Supreme Court judges notified retired are-- Justices Falak Sher, Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Mian Shakir Ullah Jan, Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Nasir ul Mulk, Chaudhry Ejaz Ahmed, Raja Fayyaz, Syed Jamshed Ali and Ghulam Rabbani.

Out of 17 judges, only four-- Abdul Hameed Dogar, Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Faqir Muhammad Khokhar and Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad-- opted to take oath under the PCO in wake of November 3 events.

UNI