Supreme Court of Pakistan's hearing goes live for the first time in history

ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Sunday started hearing the petition challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, and this is the first time in the country's history that the hearing in a case is being live telecast. 

A full court spearheaded by newly-appointed Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the review petitions against the contentious legislation introduced by the coalition government.

The full court was constituted by newly-appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and includes Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Musarrat Hilali.

Earlier this year, a larger bench led by former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial suspended the enforcement of the Supreme Court (Practice & Procedure) Act, 2023 on April 13 which clipped the powers of the top judge to take suo motu in an individual capacity.

The legislation approved by the PDM alliance said a three-member committee would constitute benches to handle cases with the majority vote being the mode of making a decision in case there is a disagreement.

In August this year, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah advised then chief justice to halt proceedings of cases instituted under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, until a final decision on the fate of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023.

However, the 3-member bench struck down the changes introduced by the coalition government by accepting the petition. Justice Mansoor then penned a dissenting note in which he advocated the parliament’s supremacy and its powers to make or unmake laws.

More to follow...