[JURIST] Pakistani Attorney General Malik Qayyum [JURIST news archive] told Geo-TV Friday that emergency rule in Pakistan would be lifted and the country's constitution restored on December 15, one day earlier than the date set [JURIST report] last week by President Pervez Musharraf in a televised address after being sworn into office for a third term. Qayyum said that two constitutional amendments would be made by Presidential Order to validate the emergency retroactively, and that the restoration of the constitution would also restore a number of fundamental rights abrogated under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

Qayyum also confirmed that the government was pursuing the appointment of new superior court judges. Pakistani media reported Thursday that at the instance of new Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar Qayyum had decided to shelve a plan [JURIST report] to reduce the size of the Supreme Court of Pakistan from 17 to 12 out of concern that s smaller bench could not keep up with the institution's workload. Qayyum said, however, that the new judges would swear oaths under Pakistan's constitution after it is restored rather than under the controversial PCO. The News has more.