Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali is set to retire on Friday while Justice Saqib Nisar will take oath on December 31st as the new CJP.

CJP Jamali completed his tenure, spanning over one year, two months and 21 days. During his tenure he gave some resolute verdicts, including waiving the ban on Houbara Bustard’s hunt, permitting former army chief Pervez Musharraf to leave the country, appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and ordering the country’s sixth census.

However, incoming CJP Saqib Nisar is to face a big challenge as the nation awaits the verdict of Panama Leaks case that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), among other opposition parties, filed against the Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s family. Justice Nisar will form a bench to hear the case, while pleas on the issue will be scheduled for hearing.

Panama Papers named around 400 notable politicians from around the world who owned offshore companies – mostly seen as means to evade taxes and stash money in foreign accounts. PM Nawaz Sharif’s daughter and sons were named in the leak, following which PTI among other opposition parties demanded the premier to resign and dissolve the assembly.

However, a parliamentary committee was formed to finalise joint Terms of References (ToR) for a probe by the Supreme Court (SC). The committee could not agree on the set of TORs after a number of meetings. The case is being heard by the Supreme Court and progress is expected in the issue once the new CJP assumes charge.