Govt rejects bench hearing Supreme Court (Procedure and Practice) Bill

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) ruled coalition government has rejected the 8-member bench of the Supreme Court formed to hear a petition challenging the Supreme Court (Procedure and Practice) Bill 2023.

The bench headed by CJP Umar Ata Bandial includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Muzahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi.

In a statement released on Thursday after a consultative meeting, the ruling coalition rejected the move and called it ‘controversial’.

The statement stated that the move has never been seen before in the history of Pakistan and the court. The government parties claim that it is an attempt to destroy the credibility of the highest court and make the constitutional process of justice ‘meaningless’.

The statement pointed out that respected judges of the Supreme Court have also expressed their objections to such actions.

The ruling parties expressed their disappointment that no judge from smaller provinces such as Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been included in the bench. They called the move an ‘attack’ on the authority of the parliament, which they will resist.

An eight-member larger bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial will hear the constitutional petitions against the Supreme Court (SC) Practice & Procedure Bill on Thursday (today).

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Bill

On Monday, amid strong protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, the Joint Sitting of Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, which aims to curtail the suo motu powers of office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 which was passed by the Parliament.

It is to mention that President Dr Arif Alvi returned the ‘judicial reforms’ bill for reconsideration to the Parliament as per the provisions of Article 75 of the Constitution.

The joint sitting of Parliament reconsidered it and passed the legislative proposal. Former Minister for Law and Justice and Senator Farooq H. Naek and JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza spoke on the various sections of the bill and were of the view that was the right time of legislation which would ensure reforms in judicial affairs.