Mulls tabling judicial reforms in joint session
A cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was held Sunday to discuss various matters related to the country’s ongoing political and constitutional crisis.
The agenda of the meeting, as per sources, included discussions on the issue of funds for elections in Punjab, the federal government’s decision on the provision of the funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The sources earlier mentioned that the meeting also discussed President Dr Arif Alvi’s decision to return the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, Justice Athar Minallah’s dissenting note, and Supreme Court’s verdict on polls, while deliberation on the country’s political and economic issues would also come under discussion.
The meeting, held via video link with the premier and most ministers joining it online, was conducted to devise a strategy to address matters surrounding the bill with the government’s legal team in attendance.
According to the sources, the federal cabinet meeting also approved the decisions taken during the National Security Council (NSC) meeting that took place on Friday.
Ministers, who joined the cabinet meeting from the PM House, included Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Overseas Pakistanis Minister Sajid Toori, Housing Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay, State Minister Hashim Notezai, while the prime minister’s advisor Ameer Muqam was also present in-person.
Those who attended online included Economic Affairs Minister Ayaz Sadiq and Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq.
A special meeting of the federal cabinet has been called again tomorrow (Monday) at the Parliament House, sources said.
Consultation on matters related to the joint session of parliament will come under discussion in the meeting, they added.
The cabinet, as per the well-placed sources, will also decide its stance on providing funds to the ECP for elections, while matters pertaining to legislation will also come under consideration.
A day earlier, President Alvi returned the bill curtailing the chief justice’s powers with a request for reconsideration in order to meet the scrutiny about its validity.
The bill is aimed at curtailing the powers of the chief justice — including the suo motu and the formation of benches. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has strongly condemned the move to pass the legislation and said it is an “attack on the judiciary”.
