Islamabad: The strength of Pakistan's Supreme Court was today raised to 16 with two more judges taking the oath of office.

Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali of the Lahore High Court and retired judge Mohammad Farrukh Mahmood were administered the oath by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by judges of the Supreme Court, law officers of the federal and provincial governments, advocates and senior officials.

During last year's emergency, President Pervez Musharraf sacked nearly 60 members of the superior judiciary who did not endorse the measure, and had packed the apex court with his hand-picked judges.

The military regime had dropped a proposal to cut the strength of the apex court. However, it had to rope in several retired judges, as those serving and lawyers refused offers to become justices of the apex court.

Source : PTI