Lahore, Apr 4: PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly offered a gubernatorial post to the country’s deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhary, after forcing him “retire” on superannuation in June.

He is learnt to have been offered the position of Balochistan Governor.

Zardari made the offer through Iftikhar’s counsels Aitzaz Ahsan, Athar Minallah, and Munir A Malik at a dinner last night, reported the Daily Times.

Reliable sources say that the new PPP-led government was planning to bring a new law restricting the Chief Justice’s term to three years, as a result of which Justice Choudhary’s services would superannuate in June, as he completes his three years in the post in the same month.

Had Choudhary not picked a fight with President Pervez Musharraf last year, he would have continued as Chief Justice till 2013. Musharraf wants to see Justice Choudhary’s service to be terminated because the latter has repeatedly said that he would reinstate the pre-November 7 Constitution if reinstalled in the post.

A section to Pakistani press today reported that the new Pakistan government was planning to bring a new legislation to ease out the Chief Justice, though it would reinstate other Supreme Court judges. (ANI)