Justice Rana Bhagwandas, a senior-most Pakistani judge, took oath Saturday as Pakistan's new acting Chief Justice, amid judicial crisis in the country.

Rana Bhahwandas, who took oath in Karachi, will now head a panel of judges who will hear charges against the suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, according to the private News Network International news agency.

Pakistani President Musharraf suspended Chaudhry on March 9 on the charges of misuse of authority and misconduct.

Rana Bhahwandas, who was the acting Chief Justice of Pakistan when the incumbent Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry went on foreign tours in 2005 and 2006, became the first Hindu and the second non- Muslim to serve as chief of the highest court in Pakistan, the NNI report said.

On March 9, 2007, Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf declared Chief Justice Chaudhry "non-functional" and forwarded a reference against him to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of Pakistan.

The suspension of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had spurred wide-spread protests of lawyers in the country, while the government insisted that the action was made in line with the constitution.

Pakistani President Musharraf has asked the lawyers not to politicize the issue and avoid creating law and order situation.

Source: Xinhua