ISLAMABAD, April 12 President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court and four judges of the Supreme Court.

According to a notification issued here on Sunday, the appointments have been made on the recommendations of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Mr Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, a judge of the Lahore High Court, has been elevated to the position of Chief Justice of Lahore High Court. He was recently reinstated along with Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

The incumbent chief justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Zahid Hussain, has been elevated to the Supreme Court.

Three high court judges, who retired during the period they had remained deposed after refusing to take oath under the PCO, have also been appointed judges of the Supreme Court. One of them, Justice Ghulam Rabbani, was an ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court and was on the bench headed by Justice Khalil Ramday which had reinstated Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry after his first 'suspension' in early 2007.

Two former judges of the Lahore High Court who have been reappointed and made judges of the Supreme Court are Justice Muhammad Said Ali and Justice M.A. Shahid Siddiqui.

APP adds President Asif Ali Zardari has reinstated three retired judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan to the position they were holding immediately before Nov 3, 2007.

The judges reinstated are Mr Justice Rana Baghwandas, Mr Justice Falak Sher and Mr Justice Ghulam Rabbani.

The restoration is for the purpose that these honourable retired judges of the Supreme Court may draw their salaries and other benefits during the intervening period as per their entitlement in accordance with the law.