Going around in Circles

Former Attorney General Malik Qayyum says, "Every body accepted Justice Dogar as the Chief Justice of Pakistan" .Honourable Justice Ramday says, "Dogar not accepted as CJP". Malik Qayyum says if Justice Dogar not accepted then the Presidential oath administered by him to President Zardari will also be no more. If the President Zardari's oath is void then the presidential order of 16 March 2009 reinstating the present Chief Justice of Pakistan will be ultra vires. Talking of reinstatement on 16 March 2009, why was Justice Dogar allowed to retain the office of CJP till he retired on 24 March 2009 or so?  Were there two Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of Pakistan during period 16 March to 24 March 2009?  I, as a layman, would most respectfully ask someone who can answer that if the present CJP agreed, consented, conceded  and allowed Justice Dogar to keep functioning as the CJP for another week till his retirement, then does it not tantamount to his accepting Justice Dogar as the defacto CJP.  And, if Justice Dogar was the CJP then could he or did he not revalidate General Musharraf's actions being challenged now?  Leaving apart thousands of the cases decided by him or under him, what will be fate of the hundreds of cases decided by the SC benches constituted or presided over by Justice Dogar during this period (16 March to 24 March 2009) alone?  I am totally confused and my mind is going around in circles!!

Truly

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

30, Westridge-1

Rawalpindi 46000

Tel: (051) 546 3344