[JURIST] Two new judges, Sheikh Hakim Ali of the Lahore High Court and retired judge Mohammad Farrukh Mahmood, were sworn in to the reconstituted Supreme Court of Pakistan [official website] by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar Friday, bringing the regular membership of the court up to 16. They follow three other judges appointed to the high court in December, shortly after Pakistani Attorney General Malik Qayyum reversed an earlier decision [JURIST reports] to cut the size of the high court to 12 down from 17, its quorum prior to President Pervez Musharraf's November 3 declaration of emergency.

Musharraf's emergency declaration - now rescinded - effectively dismissed the pre-emergency Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Iftikkhar Chaudhry [JURIST news archive]. The ousted judges have since been formally retired [JURIST report], although they and their supporters insist that they still legally hold office under Pakistan's constitution. PTI has more.