ISLAMABAD – President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday once again returned the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, which aims at clipping the powers of the chief justice of Pakistan, unsigned.
In a statement, the president said the bill is sub-judice before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, therefore, it is not appropriate to proceed with it.
صدر مملکت نے سپریم کورٹ ( پریکٹس اینڈ پروسیجر) بل، 2023 ء دستخط کیے بغیر واپس بھیج دیا
قانون سازی کی اہلیت اور بل کی درستگی کا معاملہ ملک کے اعلیٰ ترین عدالتی فورم کے سامنے زیر سماعت ہے، صدر مملکت
معاملہ زیرسماعت ہونے کے احترام میں، بل پر مزید کوئی کارروائی مناسب نہیں، صدر
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) April 19, 2023
Last week, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday barred the implementation of the controversial judicial reforms bill till further orders, besides issuing notices to the federal government, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan and others in the case.
“The moment that the Bill receives the assent of the President or (as the case may be) it is deemed that such assent has been given, then from that very moment onwards and till further orders, the Act that comes into being shall not have, take or be given any effect nor be acted upon in any manner,” reads the SC’s April 13 order as the case was adjourned till May 2.
On April 10, the joint sitting of the Parliament passed the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill, 2023 that aims at curtailing the powers of the chief justice of Pakistan.
The government is of the view that the bill will become a law in ten days of sailing through the parliament despite it is not signed by the president.
Pakistan parliament approves bill to clip top judge s powers after President Alvi refuses assent
