Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday started hearing the petition of suspended chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhary challenging the government's case against him.
The Supreme Court's 13-member full court on Monday had agreed to start the hearing the constitutional petition on the question of its merits.
"The issue of maintainability will be decided along with the merits of the main case. We have decided to start the hearing of the petition of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on merits,” Head of the full court, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, announcing the ruling, was quoted as saying.
After the ruling, Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry's counsel, Ch. Aitzaz Ahsan, started his arguments on the merits of the petition filed under Article 184 (3) of the constitution.
Chaudhary was suspended on charges of misusing his office, an allegation he denies. The government is now preparing a fresh set of charges against him including one where he is accused of filing false petrol bills and acquiring land illegally in Karachi.
While this may have been a shot in the arm for Chaudhary, experts say it’s still early days. Editor of Friday Times Najam Sethi told CNN-IBN no ruling is likely on the petition in the near future. “The case will drag on. first they will hear CJ's plea. Then the government's arguments will follow. It will ease political tension and give Musharraf time to plan his electoral campaign,” he said.
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