KARACHI: As many as 12 additional judges of the Sindh High Court took the oath on Wednesday in a ceremony held on the premises of the high court.

SHC Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui administered the oath to Justice Miran Muhammad Shah, Justice Tasneem Sultana, Justice Riazat Ali Sahar, Justice Muhammad Hasan (Akber), Justice Khalid Hussain Shahani, Justice Abdul Hamid Bhurgri, Justice Syed Fiaz ul Hassan Shah, Justice Jan Ali Junejo, Justice Nisar Ahmed Bhanbhro, Justice Ali Haider `Ada`, Justice Muhammad Osman Ali Hadi and Justice Muhammad Jaffer Raza.

The new high court judges include two session judges, Tasneem Sultana and Khalid Shahani. Two others Hasan Abker and Faiz Shah were severing as the Sindh advocate general and prosecutor general before their elevation.

The ceremony was held at the main SHC building and attended by other judges of the high court, federal and provincial law officers as well as senior lawyers.

With the 12 new inductions the total number of judges in the SHC has risen to the sanctioned strength of 40, as 28 permanent judges are already performing their duties.

On Jan 23, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan had named the 12 additional judges, out of 46 nominees. Later, President Asif Ali Zardari had appointed them as additional judges for a period of one year `with effect from the date they make oath of their offices`.

A notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice said that the president appointed the additional judges `in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 197 read with clause (8) of Article 175A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan`.