The First bench headed by Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui has been reconstituted, and moved to its principal seat here for the remaining three days of the current judicial week.
Justice Hamid Ali Mirza and Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar have replaced Justice Syed Deedar Ali Shah and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar in the reshuffle.
The bench returned here on Tuesday evening, and held its first session on Wednesday morning hearing some criminal appeals and a few cases of tax assessment.
According to a brief case list released here, the largest case commended to the bench is from 104 former employees of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), who were retired under the golden handshake scheme during the Nawaz Sharif administration. Because of the identical grounds of appeal, the cases have been clubbed together for hearing on Thursday.
Deputy Attorney General Hafiz S.A. Rahman is to represent the PNSC, but his Advocate of Record has filed a petition with the Court Registry seeking an adjournment of the hearing due to sudden death of DAG's sister. The Bench at the commencement of its sitting will decide the request.
Similarly, another Advocate-on-Record has filed a similar request on behalf of Barrister Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, who had again gone abroad for medical consultations.
A proposed list circulated here last week had moved the hearing in the All Pakistan Newspaper Society's petition against the Pakistan Newspapers Employees (Condition of Service) Act of 1973 and also the 7th Wage Board award from February 11 to 17. The latest petition for adjournment is directed against the proposed date.
The cause list for the next judicial week is expected to be released by Friday.