ISLAMABAD, 14 April 2008 — Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farooq Naek said here yesterday that a parliamentary committee would determine the fate of the judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf. “We have to evolve a mechanism to thrash out this important issue once and for all,” he said.

Reiterating the firm commitment of the government to resolve the issue of judges in line with the March 9 Murree Declaration, the minister said there was no difference of opinion over the issue between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). He also cited Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani assuring the National Assembly of the government honoring the terms of the Murree Declaration.

Naek said that the federal Cabinet in its first meeting decided that a Cabinet committee, headed by the law minister, would submit its recommendations in Parliament on the judges issue. The Cabinet committee’s recommendations would be reviewed by a parliamentary committee that would later submit its own report, he said.

Naek said the issue would be resolved with consensus and in accordance with the law and the constitution.

The coalition partners, meanwhile, will meet here tomorrow to finalize the process of restoring the judges sacked by Musharraf on Nov. 3. “Yes... a meeting to resolve such issues has been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Zardari House,” Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said.

He said Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML(N) chief Nawaz Sharif, Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would try to resolve the issue of the judges’ restoration at the meeting.

A close aide to Sharif said Zardari had talked with Sharif to iron out differences on the method of restoring the judges. “Zardari has expressed his willingness to restore the judges through a parliamentary resolution, but the final decision will be made in Tuesday’s crucial meeting,” the aide said on condition of anonymity.

Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry yesterday said he would not tender his resignation as chief justice until his retirement in 2013. He was commenting on persistent rumors that he would resign soon after his reinstatement.

Chaudhry conveyed this message while meeting a delegation of lawyers from Sahiwal, who called on him at his residence here yesterday morning.