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Pakistani President formally restores deposed Chief Justice

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, March 19, IRNA -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday restored deposed Chief Justice Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the Presidential spokesman said.

Chaudhry and some 60 top judges were sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf in emergency rule in 2007.

“President Asif Ali Zardari has restored deposed Chief Justice Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan consequent upon the retirement of the present Chief Justice Mr. Abdul Hameed Dogar on March 21, 2009,” Spokesperson of the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said.

Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will stand restored to the position he was holding immediately before the November 03, 2007, the spokesman said in a statement.

The Spokesperson said that President Asif Ali Zardari also restored with immediate effect the following deposed Judges of the Supreme Court to the position they were holding immediately before the 3rd November, 2007.

The following deposed Judges of the Lahore High Court have also been restored with immediate effect to the position they were holding immediately before the 3rd November, 2007: Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rehman.