Panamagate bench remake first challenge for new Pakistan Chief Justice

As Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday will take oath as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan, his first challenge will be the composition of the larger bench that will hear the Panamagate case.

The Supreme Court in November took up a slew of petitions seeking Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's disqualification in the wake of Panama Papers, which in April revealed that his family members have stashed money in offshore companies, reports the The Express Tribune.

The outgoing Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, who was also heading the bench and conducted 10 hearings of the case, adjourned the case till first week of January. His retirement today will dissolve the current bench.

Justice Nisar will reconstitute the bench with many options available to him.

He can replace the outgoing CJP by sitting himself in the bench or hand over the command of the new bench to Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who will be the senior most judge, once Justice Nisar assumes office.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has expressed desire that the same four judges, who were part of the bench, should hear the case.

Both the ruling PML-N and the PTI are eagerly waiting for the new CJP's decision about constitution of the new bench.

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