ZAB reference hearing from tomorrow

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry-led eleven-member bench will resume hearing of ZAB reference from Monday (tomorrow). The CJP has constituted the bench on THE request of President Asif Ali Zardari who prayed for early hearing of the Reference as the case is pending since June. The counsel for the parties as well as the amicus curiae have been requested to ensure their presence in the case.
Its hearing is likely to proceed from December 12 to 16 on a day-to-day basis as the SC will adjourn for winter vacations from December 19 to December 31. Notices to all concerned, including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president have been issued. It is to be noted that hearing was adjourned on June 29 till July and was not taken up after the Justice Javed Iqbal's retirement on August 1, Justice MA Shahid Siddique's on October 13, and ad hoc judge Ghulam Rabbani's on October 20.
The federal government filed the reference in April to reopen ZAB case. It filed the reference, reported in PLD 1979 SC pages 38-53, through Federal Law Secretary Masood Chishti. President Asif Ali Zardari forwarded the reference to the SC under clause 1 and 2 of Article 186 of the Constitution to revisit the ZAB case.
The 11-member bench comprised of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry comprised Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.