LONDON : Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari from here on Thursday morning, Aaj News reported.

According to sources, Altaf said MQM respects the Supreme Court ruling, meanwhile both leaders vowed to face trials of NRO cases in courts.

Full text of SC short order on Constitution Petition Nos. 76 to 80 of 2007 & 59/2009 and Civil Appeal No. 1094 of 2009 and HRC Nos.14328-P to 14331-P & 15082-P OF 2009

O R D E R

Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, CJ. – The above titled Constitution Petitions have been filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan [hereinafter referred to as ‘the Constitution’] challenging the constitutionality of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (No.LX) 2007 [hereinafter referred to as ‘the NRO’], while HR cases and Civil Appeal, by leave of the Court, have been filed by the applicants/appellant for extension of benefit of the NRO to them.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ordered a wholesale giant in Karachi to close down its huge commercial outlet in the Lines Area in three months and restore the 4.9 acres of land on which the structure was built to its original status of a playground.

‘Makro-Habib is allowed three months from the date of this judgment to remove its structures and installations from the playground, restore it to the same condition as existed on the date of the sub-lease and hand over its vacant possession to the city district government, Karachi (CDGK),’ a bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Ghulam Rabbani ordered in their judgment on Friday.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Friday named Justice Ghulam Rabbani of the Supreme Court as head of the monitoring cell created to monitor the progress in corruption cases under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance.

The 17-judge Supreme Court bench had moved to set up the cell in the apex court and provincial high courts when deciding challenges to the NRO.

The four high court chief justices — Sarmad Jalal Osmani (Sindh High Court), Khwaja Mohammad Sharif (Lahore High Court), Ijaz Afzal Khan (Peshawar High Court) and Qazi Faez Essa (Balochistan High Court) — have nominated themselves as heads of the provincial cells. The Chief Justice of Pakistan also named Sajid Mehmood Qazi, Additional Registrar of the Supreme Court as coordinator of the cell.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has cancelled the lease of five acre land in Karachi and directed Army Welfare Trust to handover this land to the city district government to use it for the children park.A three member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in a short order has given three months to the Army Welfare Trust to vacate this land. The court declared that this land was originally allocated for setting up a children park, therefore, it should be used for this purpose.

It also held that setting up of a children park is essential to improve environment in the area, therefore, the city government should take appropriate measures in this regard.

link: http://www.sananews.com.pk/english/2009/12/19/5-sc-orders-army-welfare-trust-to-vacate-karachi-land/

LAHORE: Mrs Qurat-ul-Ain Ramday, wife of Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday of the Supreme Court, died at a local hospital on Friday.
Funeral prayers for the deceased will be offered on Saturday after Zohar prayers at 2pm at the residence of Justice Ramday in GOR I, Danepur Lane. Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Judges and Registrar of the Supreme Court have expressed their deep sorrow and grief over the sad demise of wife of Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday.
They extended their heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathies to members of the grieved family.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan and other judges prayed to Almighty Allah to shower His blessings upon the deceased and to give courage and patience to the family members to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity (Ameen).

ISLAMABAD: The government has filed a review petition against the short order of the Supreme Court’s National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict. The verdict had ordered the reopening of criminal and corruption cases against politicians including President Asif Ali Zardari.
The government had appointed the Advocate on record Raja Abdul Ghafoor to file the review petition against the verdict's short order.
January 16 was the declared deadline for filing a review petition to challenge the court’s verdict.
In addition, Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Naveed Ahsan and Additional Prosecutor General NAB will also be filing a review petition.