Lawyers to observe black day against suspension of Supreme Court bill

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: Lawyers body, demanding the recall of an interim order to suspend the proposed Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, expressed serious concern over the top court’s role in the current political crisis and have planned to protest the suspension of the bill by observing a “Black Day” on Tuesday.

Pakistan’s Provincial Bar Councils, Supreme Court, and High Court Bar Associations held a conference at the PBC office, calling on the ruling political parties to hold an All Parties Conference to resolve political and constitutional issues.

A statement said the conference also demanded a free, fair, and transparent election of the National and Provincial Assemblies at one time, as mandated by the constitution.

Recalling the interim order suspending the proposed Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, the conference warned that the legal fraternity would launch a country-wide movement to protect democratic and constitutional rights if the bill was not suspended.

The conference urged the Supreme Court to amend the Supreme Court Rules, 1980, which grant the Chief Justice of Pakistan discretionary powers regarding the constitution of benches and fixation of cases in urgent matters.

The legal fraternity also demanded the right to appeal against orders passed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.

The conference expressed disappointment at the failure of the Supreme Court to amend its rules and appealed to the Parliament to frame laws in this regard.

The conference believed that the proposed Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 would advance the principle of independence of the judiciary and serve the public interest.

The conference criticized the suspension of the proposed Act by a bench of judges chosen by the Chief Justice, excluding senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, some of whose appointments had been questioned by the legal fraternity and members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.

The conference urged the Supreme Court to show restraint in accelerating political crises and allow political forces time to resolve political issues. The conference believed that political issues and crises should be resolved by mutual deliberations between political parties, not through the court of law.