ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan on Monday issued notice to the attorney- general and advocates-general of all the provinces, and requested all the prominent Bar leaders to appear before him on January 3 next, three days before his retirement from the Supreme court.

The notice, ostensibly, is to inquire from the attorney- general and the advocates- general to explain what steps the government had taken to implement the apex court’s directions for expeditious disposal of terrorism cases.

He is not likely to get a full-court reference on the eve of his retirement as it is apprehended that Bar leaders might criticize him because the apex court had validated the military takeover and rejuvenated the doctrine of necessity.

The CJ has asked the attorney -general and advocates-general to appear “in person” and file a report highlighting the progress on the apex court’s guidelines for the expeditious disposal of terrorism cases.

The chief justice, under its suo motu jurisdiction, had given guidelines for the expeditious disposal of cases registered under the anti-terrorism law on September 13, 2001.

Under the guidelines, the police department, inter alia, was required to explore the possibility of engaging retired PDSPs for carrying out investigations, and arrangements had to be made for training the investigations officers.

Apart from federal and provincial principal law officers, the Bar leaders who have been “requested” to appear on January 3 the vice-chairman, Pakistan Bar Council; president, Supreme Court Bar Association; vice-chairman, Punjab Bar Council; vice- chairman, NWFP Bar Council; vice-chairman, Balochistan Bar Council; vice chairman, Sindh Bar Council; President, Lahore High Court Bar Association and presidents of all High Court Bar Associations in the country to file precise and specific written suggestions, if any, on the matter by January 1, and also personally appear and assist the court on the next date of hearing.