SC hearing NRO petitions.

ISLAMABAD: A 17-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, is hearing identical constitutional petitions, challenging the infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Geo News reported Tuesday. It should be mentioned here that the Federation yesterday expressed apprehensions before the

Supreme Court that the democratic system was under threat from the CIA and the GHQ, while the court’s decision might put democracy under threat as well. Kamal Azfar, counsel for the Federation, told a full court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, that the democratic system was under threat from the CIA and the GHQ.

During the course of the proceedings, Chief Justice Iftikhar asked Kamal Azfar as to what makes him feel that democracy would be put under threat by the court’s decision. “If there is a fear of November 3-like situation, the court be informed at once so that a stay order could be issued,” the CJP said.

The CJP said the judiciary is here to uphold the supremacy of democracy and the law, and that such allegations will not be tolerated. “All the judges present here have been part of the struggle for democracy,” he added. Justice Javed Iqbal remarked that NAB spent Rs200 million on the cases and then took them back.
The 17-member bench hearing the petitions comprises of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui, Justice S Khawja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Rahmat Husain Jafferi, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.

link: http://www.asianews.com.pk/2009/12/sc-hearing-nro-petitions/