After 26th Amendment
\nPTI, JUI-F senators strongly oppose the decision, term it an attempt to manipulate judiciary
\n ISLAMABAD
\nAmid opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice agreed to increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 25 in order to clear the backlog of cases.
\nThe meeting, presided over by Senator Farooq H Naek, agreed to increase the sanctioned strength of SC judges to 25, including chief justice of Pakistan.
\nDuring the committee\u2019s meeting, the former ruling party and JUI-F lawmakers strongly opposed the decision, with PTI Senator Hamid Khan saying that they have strong reservations over such legislation. \u201cSuch a method to appoint SC judges is an attack on judicial independence,\u201d he said.
\nJUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, in a statement, said the legislation was meant to appoint \u201cfavourite judges\u201d in the top court. \u201cAfter Oct 25, the judges are working in a smooth manner [\u2026] There is no need to increase the sanctioned strength,\u201d he added.
\nHowever, Pakistan People\u2019s Party (PPP) Senator Shahadat Awan emphasised the need to raise the number SC judges to at least 21.
\nPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Khalil Tahir said that Senator Abdul Qadir had presented the private member bill, seeking increased SC judges\u2019 strength. During the meeting, he said, the majority of members of the Senate Standing Committee supported enhancing the number to 25 for \u201cspeedy justice\u201d.
\nHe pointed out that more than 60,000 cases were pending in the apex court, while also stressed the need to increase number of judges in the high courts.
\nOn the other hand, JUI-F Senator Murtaza said that he and PTI\u2019s Hamid opposed the bill, adding that the bill is an attack on \u201cindependent judiciary\u201d.
\nHe asked the government not to change the principles, which he says, will give the impression of appointing favourite judges.
\n\u201cBy introducing such legislation, you [the government] are trying to further intensify division [in the judiciary],\u201d he said.
\nRecently, a full court meeting \u2014 chaired by newly-appointed CJP Yahya Afridi \u2014 was informed that 59,191 cases were currently pending in the apex court.
\nEarlier in September, an independent senator from Balochistan, Mohammad Abdul Qadir tabled a bill in Upper House of Parliament, seeking an amendment to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1997 to increase the number of top court judges to 20 sans the chief justice.
\nHe sought the increase in the number of top court judges from 17 to 21 as \u201cmore than 53,000 cases\u201d pending in the apex court.
\nFederal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar also backed the legislation and suggested forwarding the new bill to the relevant committee.
\nTarar, while addressing the Senate session, endorsed the points raised by Senator Qadir, saying several cases pertaining to capital punishments still awaiting verdicts since 2015.
\n \u201cA person spent 34 years in jail due to a pending appeal before the top court,\u201d he added.
\nIt is noteworthy to mention here that in a bid to reduce pendency of the cases, two retired judges \u2014 Justice (retd) Tariq Masood and Justice (retd) Mazhar Alam Miankhel \u2014 had been appointed as ad hoc judges to the apex court for a period of one year in July.
\nMeanwhile, The News reported that the government has decided to defer the introduction of a key bill \u2014 seeking to amend the Supreme Court (number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill, 2024 \u2014 in National Assembly.
\nThe bill is now likely to be taken up by the House on the private members day on upcoming Tuesday.
\nPML-N MNA Danyal Chaudhry will move the bill as a private member and the same will be supported by members on treasury benches.
\nThe proposed legislation which requires a simple majority to sail through the House will seek an increase in the number of judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
\nThe development came as the ruling coalition continues to bring reforms in the country\u2019s judicial structure with the latest being the 26th Constitutional Amendment \u2014 which changed the procedure for the appointment of the CJP, fixed the post\u2019s tenure, and formed constitutional benches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After 26th Amendment PTI, JUI-F senators strongly oppose the decision, term it an attempt to manipulate judiciary ISLAMABAD Amid opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice agreed to increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 25 in order to clear the backlog of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":369432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-440968","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n