Justice Shah repeats earlier request in NAB tweaks law hearing as federal govt\u2019s counsel seconds appeal to CJP
\nISLAMABAD
\nJustice Mansoor Ali Shah reiterated on Tuesday his previous request to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to either give a final verdict on the Supreme Court (SC) Practice and Procedure Act 2023 first or constitute a full bench to hear the Pakistan Tekreek-e-Insaf\u2019s (PTI) petition against the amendments made in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.
\nThe government\u2019s counsel also endorsed Justice Shah\u2019s request.
\nA three-member bench comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Mansoor, and Justice Ijazul Ahsan resumed hearing Imran Khan\u2019s plea against the NAB amendments.
\nThe PTI chief had challenged the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act 2022 passed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led coalition government.
\nLater, a report submitted by the graft buster to the apex court revealed that the NAB ordinance had ended up solving over 90 per cent of the cases, including high-profile ones, that it was dealing with.
\nHowever, the PTI heavily criticised the PDM\u2019s decision to approve the amendments, denouncing it as an attempt to limit the graft buster\u2019s authority.
\nFurther, in July of last year, the federal cabinet passed the National Accountability (Third Amendment) Bill for 2022. This bill further restricted NAB\u2019s role in corruption cases involving amounts exceeding Rs500 million. Additionally, it rescinded the president\u2019s ability to appoint judges for the accountability court.
\nDuring the last hearing, Justice Shah threw his weight behind the forming of a full court to decide the matter, emphasising the need for the apex court to decide the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act.
\nReferring to his note written in the military trial case where he had made the same suggestion, he said that the NAB amendments case should be heard by the full court.
\nToday, as the bench took up the matter again, CJP Bandial observed that through the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act, \u201cthe independence of the judiciary has been attacked and the foundations of this independence have been shaken\u201d.
\n\u201cA fellow judge of mine has referred to the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act. You may not know this but the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) had spoken of inconsistencies between the SC (the Practice and Procedure) law and the SC (Review of Judgment) Law, on June 1, 2023. The AGP had asked the apex court for some time and on June 8, 2023, he said that after the budget session, the parliament will correct the law,\u201d said CJP Bandial.
\n\u201cI am unaware what the current (interim) government\u2019s stance on the matter is,\u201d the top judge added before questioning whether \u201chearings on all cases should be stopped on the basis of a suspended law\u2019.
\n\u201cThe only other option is that the court continues to work and let the parliament decide,\u201d said Justice Bandial.
\n\u201cI regret to say this but it is only an impression that the law is in place,\u201d he added, \u201cbecause if it is indeed effective then why did they [the government] speak of amendments?\u201d.
\nUpon this, the government\u2019s lawyer urged the court to also proceed with \u201cextreme precaution\u201d before declaring any law null and void.
\n\u201cWe are not declaring any law as null and void,\u201d responded the CJP, stressing that the law had for the first time in history interfered in the administrative affairs of the SC, \u201cgranting a remedy that is not available in the Constitution\u201d. Still, CJP Bandial urged the government to submit its application on the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act, but in the same breath expressed reluctance in allowing \u201cthe courts to simply stop working\u201d in the meantime.
\nJustice Ahsan said \u201cwe hope to see this law amended so that it is in line with the Constitution\u201d.
\nUpon this Justice Shah reiterated his earlier stance saying \u201cI request the CJP to give a decision on the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act before the NAB amendments issue. Otherwise, the SC should constitute a full court on this case\u201d.
\nThe federal government lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan seconded the appeal to the CJP.
\nPTI\u2019s lawyer Khawaja Haris raised the point that a five-member bench of the SC has given the decision and stated that only the CJP has the authority to form benches.
\nSpeaking of the NAB law tweak, CJP Bandial observed that the PTI chief has centred his arguments on \u201cdishonesty\u201d. \u201cHe is of the opinion that through the NAB amendments, special exemptions have been given to some people and some provisions of the law have been removed by the NAB amendments\u201d implying malafide intent.
\nMakhdoom Ali Khan however questioned the merits of this argument saying that \u201cif an accused is not granted bail for 90 days when a reference is filed against them by NAB, then how is that connected with dishonesty?\u201d
\nJustice Shah further observed that the parliament was a supreme body with the right to change and amend laws. \u201cWhat does this have anything to do with honesty?\u201d he asked.
\nLater, the court adjourned further hearing of the case till tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Justice Shah repeats earlier request in NAB tweaks law hearing as federal govt\u2019s counsel seconds appeal to CJP ISLAMABAD Justice Mansoor Ali Shah reiterated on Tuesday his previous request to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to either give a final verdict on the Supreme Court (SC) Practice and Procedure Act 2023 first or constitute […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-352490","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n