Explore Business Standard
Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.
Arif Alvi
Pakistan President Arif Alvi on Saturday returned to Parliament for reconsideration a bill aimed at clipping the powers of the chief justice, citing that the proposed legislation is beyond the jurisdiction of the legislative body and can be assailed as a "colourable legislation". Pakistan is witnessing a rift between the judiciary and the government after a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Uma Ata Bandial on Tuesday fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab Assembly and quashed the Election Commission's decision to extend the date of the poll from April 10 to October 8. The apex court's verdict was criticised by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which has refused to accept it. The government also is keen to curb the suo moto (on its own) powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Bandial. The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 was approved
Pakistan's Parliament on Thursday passed a bill to curb the powers of the chief justice of the Supreme Court regarding suo motu cases and the constitution of benches, in a significant move to rein in the top judiciary amid criticism by the Opposition. Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced 'The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023' on Thursday in the Senate, a day after it was passed by the National Assembly - the lower house of the parliament. There were 60 votes in favour of the bill and 19 against it. The bill will now be presented to President Arif Alvi for his assent. If the president does not give his approval within 10 days, it will be deemed to have been given.
Pakistan's President Arif Alvi in the wee hours of Wednesday at the Aiwan-e-Sadar administered the oath to Pervez Elahi as the new Chief Minister of Punjab.Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Pervez Elahi took oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab after the Supreme Court announced a verdict against the ruling of Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammed Mazari, reported Geo News.SC's three-member bench -- comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Muneeb Akhtar -- had initially ordered Punjab Governor Baligh ur Rehman to administer the oath to Elahi, however, he refused to perform his duties. Consequently, President Arif Alvi administered the oath.Following Governor Punjab's refusal, Elahi left for Islamabad late Tuesday night to take oath from Alvi as per the Supreme Court's order.According to Geo News, President Alvi had sent a special aircraft to bring Elahi to Islamabad for the oath-taking ceremony, reported Geo News.Earlier, the ..