SC larger bench to hear bill curtailing CJP’s powers today

Islamabad: 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 today. 

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 were included in the bench.

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 had 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.