The First Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui will sit in Karachi during the next judicial week commencing from Monday. Other five benches that had been sent out to the provincial registries during the outgoing week will return to the Federal Capital and hear cases assigned in the new cause list made public on Saturday. The cause list for the First Bench was not immediately available here. Its other two members will be Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi.
Among the important cases to be heard next week will be the long-drawn legal war on the interpretation of the Provincial Food Ordinance between two brand name ice cream manufacturers and sellers: The Yummy Milk Products and the Lever Brothers, the makers of the Walls Ice Cream. One manufacturer is accusing of not conforming to the specifications of the Food Ordinance and now both are seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against one another.
The case is fixed for hearing on Tuesday.
Another case of interest is the appeal of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)against the landowners in the suburbs of future maritime harbour and international airport of Gawadar who are led by Mir Abdul Ghafoor.
The development of the existing small airstrip to international specifications is under stay since 2003 pending disposal of the government appeal.
The landowners are contesting the formula under which compensation was paid for their lands to build the airport.
They have successfully conducted their cases from the Civil Judge to the Balochistan High Court and are now to appear before the Supreme Court for a final decision. The appeal is to be heard by the Third Bench.
The week here begins with a large number of sugar mills as well as the Collectorate of Customs and Central Excise suing each other for the assessment of various duties about two years ago.
The appeal of a private power produce, the Tri-Star Energy Limited seeking the restoration of its contract to build a power house near Karachi and also return of its Bank guarantee will also be heard by the Third Bench but on Wednesday.
The five benches assigned to the Federal Capital are:
FIRST BENCH: Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, Justice Rana Baghwandas and Justice Falak Sher.
SECOND BENCH: Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jillani.
THIRD BENCH: Justice Hamid Ali Mirza, Justice Khalil-ur-Rahman Ramday and Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk.
FOURTH BENCH: Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan and Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad.
FIFTH BENCH: Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar and Justice M Javed Buttar.