Bhagwan Das to be Pak's acting CJ

Islamabad: Faced with unprecedented public protests over the sacking of Chief Justice Iftikar Muhammad Chaudhury, Pakistan on Saturday announced the apex court's only Hindu judge who is next in line for the post would be sworn in as acting Chief Justice on his return from India.

The decision to make Justice Rana Bhagwan Das the acting Chief Justice, a key demand made by Chaudhury, was made public by Law Minister Wasi Jafar.

"The government being conscious and fully adamant to abide by the constitutional provisions and laws, assures the lawyers and the whole nation that the very moment Justice Rana Bhagwan Das returns he will be given the oath of Acting Chief Justice as per requirement of the constitutional provisions," Jafar said in an official statement.

Das, the only Hindu to have risen to the highest level of Pakistan's judiciary, is on a month's leave for a pilgrimage to India and is due to return on March 22.

There were earlier indications that he might not be selected for the top post in view of his religion and experts had questioned whether he could preside over matters involving Shariat or Islamic law.

Pakistan has witnessed widespread protests by lawyers and opposition political groups against the sacking of Chaudhry, who is also facing charges of misusing his position.

Defending the government's move to make Justice Javed Iqbal the Acting Chief Justice after Chaudhry was sacked on March 9, Zafar said though Iqbal was number three in the hierarchy, he was appointed for the post as Das was on leave which was granted by Chaudhry himself.

"The appointment was made as the seniormost judge Justice Das was abroad on leave," he said.

The government's announcement came as the nationwide protests by lawyers and activists of opposition parties escalated today with pitched battles between protestors and police in and around Lahore High Court in which several lawyers sustained.

The appointment of Justice Das as ACJ was key demand of Justice Chaudhry who in his reply to the charges filed against him questioned the legality of Justice Iqbal's appointment.

Chaudhry also questioned the credentials of the other four judges of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) constituted to conduct the trial of allegations of misconduct and misuse of power levelled against him.

When he takes over as ACJ, Justice Das, who is due to retire this December would head the SJC and is expected to lend credibility to the trial.

He held the post several times in the past whenever Justice Chaudhry went abroad.

Known for his impeccable record as judge, this would be the first time that he would take over as ACJ in the absence of Justice Chaudhry and may become Chief

Justice if Chaudhry was not restored to the post. Though an Islamic state, there was no bar in the constitution for a non-muslim judge to become the Chief Justice.