Justice Asif Saeed Khosa takes oath as acting CJP

ISLAMABAD: Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who wrote a 192-page dissenting note in the Supreme Court’s historic April 20 verdict in Panamagate case, has taken oath as Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).

The oath was administered on Monday by top court judge Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan in a simple ceremony in the Supreme Court, Islamabad. “Justice Khosa will act as CJP during the period CJP Justice Mian Saqib Nisar remains abroad,” a statement said.

The ceremony was attended by judges of the apex court, attorney general for Pakistan, advocate general Islamabad, senior lawyers and law officers, the communiqué added.

“SC registrar Arbab Muhammad Arif conducted the proceedings of oath taking ceremony. Officers and staff of the top court were also present on the occasion.”

Justice Khosa, the senior most judge in the SC who led the five-judge bench on the Panamagate, had disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his 192-page judgment but his views belonged to the minority opinion and therefore did not have binding effect on anyone. He observed that the prime minister had deliberately suppressed relevant facts or he had conveniently allowed himself to go along with a false story advanced by his children.

Source: The Express Tribune