Former Chief Justice Nasirul named Pak caretaker PM, to take charge on June 1
Known as an ‘ English’ judge, Justice Mulk will oversee July 25 election
Former Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk will be the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan till an elected PM takes charge after the July 25 elections.
The name of Nasirul Mulk was announced at a joint presser by PM Abbasi and Opposition leader Khurshid Shah. Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq was also present along with some ministers.
Justice Mulk was born on August 17, 1950 in Mingora, Swat. He completed his degree of Barat-Law from Inner Temple London and was called to the Bar in 1977.
The now- retired Mulk practiced as an Advocate in all fields of Law for more than 17 years until his elevation as a judge of the Peshawar high court. He remained PHC chief justice for some time before his elevation as a judge of the Supreme Court.
He is remembered for the way he conducted a contempt case against then Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
He convicted the then chief executive for 30 seconds while maintaining the dignity and honour of the court, and left the disqualification issue open to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the then speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Fehmida Mirza.
Justice Mulk is one of the seven judges who signed a restraining order on November 3, 2007, when retired Gen. Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency and forcibly sent the judges home.
He has served as a judge in Peshawar high court, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief Election Commissioner too.
Justice Nasirul Mulk, known as an “English” judge is remembered for his adherence to the policy of judicial restraint which is widely supported by the legal fraternity.
During his short tenure as the CJP, Mulk has given four historical judgments, which strengthened the prevailing democracy in
the country.
Senior lawyers appreciate his role during the 2014 sit- ins by the Pakistan Awami Tehrik ( PAT) and Pakistan Tehreek- e- Insaf ( PTI) on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad.
He was also responsible for passing the order on August 15, 2014, wherein all state functionaries were restrained from taking any extra- constitutional steps in the prevailing situation.
Justice Mulk also headed the bench that rejected the plea to disqualify then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for lying on the floor of the National Assembly.
He, along with two other fellow judges, accepted the task of probing rigging claims in the last general elections and headed the judicial commission probing the allegations.
All major parties had praised his conduct during the proceedings of the inquiry commission. “After spending 86 days,” the CJP rejected the rigging allegations.
Justice Mulk was among seven judges who had passed restraining order against November 3, 2007 emergency and Provisional Constitutional Order ( PCO). He was also among those judges who had refused to take oath under November 3, 2007 PCO. Justice Mulk was also head of the larger bench who convicted former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani in contempt case in 2012.
The former chief justice also gave an 88- page judgment in the 18th and 21st amendment case. In the judgment, he declared that Parliament had the authority to bring any constitutional amendment and the top court cannot strike down the amendment on any ground.
From March 2009 till the end of 2013, ex- CJP Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry had adopted the policy of judicial activism. This became the source of confrontation between the superior judiciary and other state institutions — including the executive, the legislature, the election commission and other government departments.