Joint session approves SC bill 2023 clipping CJP’s powers  

Islamabad:  The joint session of the parliament approved the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure Bill) 2023 clipping powers of the chief justice of Pakistan.

Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar presented the bill for approval in the joint session of the house, and he criticized President Dr. Arif Alvi for not signing the bill.

The PTI senators staged a sit in in front of the speaker’s sitting and chanted slogans against the coalition government for passing the bill.

The PPP leaders had earlier said that they distanced themselves from confrontation with the CJP but they also were sitting there in the house when the bill passed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto and other leaders addressed the session. Earlier, Supreme court senior pusine Judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa also addressed the session.

President Arif Alvi on Saturday returned the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, approved earlier to cripple powers of the chief justice of Pakistan,  for reconsideration of the parliament.

The bill was earlier passed by both houses of the parliament and then it was forwarded to the President for approval. The president said that the prime facie the bill is beyond the competence of the parliament.

In recent news, the president has returned the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 to the parliament for reconsideration, citing Article 75 of the Constitution. The president has expressed that the bill goes beyond the parliament's jurisdiction and could be seen as an attempt to deceive.

In response to the president's decision, the government is expected to push for the bill's approval through a joint session of parliament. This decision will likely stir up more controversy and debates about the constitutionality of the proposed legislation.

On Thursday, the Senate passed the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill 2023.

In the meeting presided over by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar submitted a motion to present the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill in the House.

The motion of the opposition to refer the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill to the Standing Committee was rejected and the motion to pass the bill was approved immediately.

Opposition senators protested in the senate and reached the rostrum of the chairman senate and shouted slogans against the attack on the judiciary.

The Senate security had earlier cordoned off the government and opposition benches after which the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure bill was presented for approval.

The bill was passed by a majority, with 60 votes in favor and 19 against of it.

Senators belonging to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan Awami Party on opposition seats also voted in support of the bill.