Senate approves SC bill amid PTI opposition

The Senate on Thursday approved the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 that would limit chief justice of Pakistan’s discretionary powers to take suo motu notice.

The bill was moved in the Senate today after it was approved by the National Assembly a day earlier. At least 60 senators approved the bill while 19 lawmakers voted against it.

Before the final vote on the bill, a motion was presented to send the bill to the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice for further debate but it was rejected. The motion for the urgent approval of the bill was then presented which was accepted by a majority of lawmakers.

Once the bill was tabled in the Senate, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar explained that the proposed law is providing the right to appeal in suo motu cases and to appoint a different lawyer in the appeals.

Read more: Supreme Court sends notice to ECP over delay in Punjab polls

However, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem slammed the bill saying that the government is unable to ensure a smooth distribution of wheat and planning to make rules for the Supreme Court.

“Making rules for the Supreme Court is an indirect attack (on the judiciary. You are trying to create division in the Supreme Court,” claimed Dr Waseem. He added that the bill did not talk about the right of appeal before and later in the standing committee the right to appeal was also given on previous cases.

“Give the bill to the committee and let it bring its changes,” said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senator and called for a vote on the matter.

As the opposition leader was making his speech, the PTI senators hold a protest in the upper house.

When PTI Senator Ali Zafar was given a chance to speak, he said that he had two objections to the bill.

“Only constitutional amendment can be made in 184/3. If you pass laws this way then it will be struck down within 15 days,” warned the senator. He added that the right to appeal can only be given through the Constitution.

Zafar said that the Senate’s standing committee had sent a constitutional amendment for the right to appeal. He also warned that by opening past cases the Supreme Court will have to hear thousands of cases again.

“There is also a divide among the lawyers on this bill. Such amendments cannot be made without amending the Constitution,” said Zafar. He added that some changes suggested by the bill are illegal.

The senator also objected to the timing of the bill as that an election suo motu was ongoing in the Supreme Court.