New Pak CJ over-rules order on annulling Emergency

NEW MOVE: Musharraf administers the oath to Justice Dogar as Chief Justice of Pakistan.

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New Delhi: Hours after Abdul Hameed Dogar was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan, he immediately over-ruled an order issued by his predecessor Iftikhar Chaudhry, annulling the Emergency.

Dogar in a statement said that the court had not passed any order against the Provisional Constitutional Order issued by the military ruler to suspend the Constitution and fundamental rights.

The order issued by Chaudhry and six other judges was the last act of defiance before they were removed from the Supreme Court by security forces. They also refused to endorse the Provisional Constitutional Order.

Dogar said the roster of cases issued by Chaudhry had been "cancelled" and a revised roster would be issued. Among the cases that have been cancelled is the legal challenge to Musharraf’s re-election in uniform in the October 6 presidential poll.

Dogar also removed the Supreme Court's registrar Faqeer Hussain from his office and sent him to the Law Commission. Dogar appointed additional registrar Sara Saeed as the acting registrar of the apex court.

Before his appointment, Dogar was part of the 11-member bench that was hearing petitions challenging Musharraf's candidature in the presidential election.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday sacked 17 Supreme Court judges and told the nation his move was to "protect integrity of Pakistan".

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and seven other Supreme Court judges were taken into custody after they termed the provisional constitution illegal. Troops took them away to an undisclosed location.

All the 17 Supreme Court judges were given individual letters saying their services were "no longer required", even as Abdul Hameed Dogar was sworn in as the new chief justice along with five other judges.

(With PTI inputs)