Incumbent govt likely to table multiple judiciary-related bills.
Coalition might also move Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
NA session, scheduled for 5pm, to commence at 4pm instead.
ISLAMABAD: The incumbent government is likely to table multiple legislations in parliamentary proceedings today which might very well have far-reaching implications for the country’s future, especially judiciary, The News reported on Monday.
Federal Law Minister Senator Azam Nazir Tarar is set to present the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 to the National Assembly.
Mandated under Article 89(2) of the Constitution, this move is part of the government’s efforts to reform the legal framework and ensure swift justice.
An Ordinance, according to this Article laid before the NA shall be deemed to be a bill introduced in the House. The same was also laid in the Senate on Friday and was referred to the standing committee of the House.
The lower house’s session which was scheduled to commence at 5pm on Monday, will now be held at 4pm.
The president promulgated the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance, 2024 on September 20 to amend the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 which provides that every cause and matter before the SC shall be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by the committee comprising the chief justice of Pakistan, the next most senior judge of the SC and an SC judge nominated by the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).
The recently retired CJP Qazi Faez Isa reconstituted the judges’ committee replacing Justice Munib Akhtar with Justice Aminuddin Khan.
The new CJP Justice Yahya Afridi, shortly after taking oath, brought Justice Akhtar back into the committee by excluding Justice Aminuddin.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration — in supplementary agenda — is also likely to move the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2024 for consideration of the House and passage.
Earlier, Law Minister Tarar introduced the same bill in the House on Friday. The changes in the law would allow the security agencies to detain suspects for six months on charges of counter-terrorism.
Another bill titled the Supreme Court (number of judges) (amendment) bill, 2024 is also likely to be tabled in the NA today.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) lawmaker Barrister Aqeel Malik has said that the bill relating to the increase in the number of judges from 17 to 25 was tabled as a private member bill by Senator Abdul Qadar, an independent member.
While speaking on a television channel on Sunday, Barrister Aqeel Malik said that three bills will be brought to the NA on Monday.
He said that there are many speculations and misunderstandings concerning the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, of 2024.
He said it was wrong impression that the legislation was meant to be used against any particular political party saying that it has become a habit to find negativity in good work.
“This legislation is meant to deal effectively deal matters relating to terrorism and threats posed to national security”, he said.