PPP, PML-N, ANP form panel for restoring sacked judges

Restoring judges of the Supreme Court to their former positions could impact the fate of Musharraf, as they were hearing petitions challenging his re-election in uniform when they were sacked.

The PPP, PML-N and ANP, which are set to form government in Pakistan, on Wednesday formed a legal panel to study options for reinstating judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf during the emergency last year.

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The reinstatement of the deposed judges is a key demand of former premier Nawaz Sharif's PML-N party. Restoring judges of the Supreme Court to their former positions could impact the fate of Musharraf, as they were hearing petitions challenging his re-election in uniform when they were sacked.

Musharraf's re-election was later validated by a court comprising hand-picked judges who endorsed the emergency.

The committee set up by the three parties, which is headed by prominent lawyer Fakhruddin G Ibrahim, has been asked to review constitutional issues related to restoring the pre-emergency judiciary, party sources said.

Senior lawyer and PPP Senator Latif Khosa is also a member of the panel.

The panel was set up after Ibrahim briefed Sharif, Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on constitutional and legal issues linked to reinstating the judges.

Senior PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, PML-N president Mian Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N chairman Raja Zafrul Haq also attended the meeting.

"During the meeting, all the leaders expressed identical views and agreed on the restoration of the judges who were illegally sacked," Haq said.