Checks and balances
\nThe Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023 will deprive the CJP\u2019s office of powers to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity
\n Islamabad
\nThe National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023, which aims to deprive the office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) of powers to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity.
\nThe bill, presented by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, was passed hours after the Standing Committee on Law and Justice approved the cabinet\u2019s proposed amendments.
\nPPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while addressing the law minister, termed the initiative \u201ctoo little and too late\u201d, and said that it should be called a \u201cjudges empowerment\u201d bill.
\nWhen Tarar spoke, he said, \u201cIt is being said that a constitutional amendment should be made. I want them to know there is no need for a constitutional amendment.
\n\u201cThey should go and read Article 191 of the Constitution, which empowers the Assembly to legislate. The Supreme Court also made their rules according to the Constitution and law since 1980 and it is written on the preamble as well.\u201d
\nHe said Pakistan has six bar councils and \u201call of them saluted the House and the law for tabling the bill\u201d.
\nNorth Waziristan MNA Mohsin Dawar introduced amendments which were accepted.
\nTarar also acknowledged Bilawal\u2019s \u201ctoo little, too late\u201d remarks but said he believed \u201cthere is a right time for everything\u201d and the government demonstrated restraint \u201cuntil a voice came from within the courts\u201d.
\nThe law minister thanked the members of the NA Standing Committee on Law and Justice for their input on the bill. \u201cThis bill was an old demand of the bar councils which said that indiscriminate use of 184(3) should be stopped,\u201d he added.
\nTarar said the bill aimed to make apex court proceedings transparent and it also included the right to appeal.
\nHe said that all institutions had to follow laws passed by Parliament. The minister quoted Article 191 of the Constitution, which says that \u201csubject to the Constitution and law, the Supreme Court may make rules regulating the practice and procedure of the Court\u201d.
\nLeader of the Opposition Raja Riaz praised the government\u2019s efforts in introducing the bill and said it would ensure the freedom of the judiciary and rule of law. When he spoke, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif insisted that Parliament was not usurping the powers of the Supreme Court but rather legislating as per its constitutional right.
\nMinister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor said Parliament was a sovereign institution and its members had the right to legislate, being representatives of the people.
\nShortly after the bill was passed, the session was adjourned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Checks and balances The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023 will deprive the CJP\u2019s office of powers to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity Islamabad The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023, which aims to deprive the office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322628,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-322623","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n