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Debate revealing reason behind contempt law: SC
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) resumed hearing of various identical petitions challenging the Contempt of Court Act 2012 Thursday, Geo News reported.A five-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Shakirullah Jan, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jilani was hearing the petitions against the law.
During today’s proceedings, the lawyers representing the petitioners in the case continued their arguments against the law while the parliamentary record of the debate that took place during the passage of contempt bill was also presented before the bench.
One of the petitioners’ lawyer, Ahsan Uddin read out the debate content in the court and raised objections over it.
At one point, Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked that parliamentary proceedings are protected under Article 69 of the Constitution and it cannot be challenged in the court, however, the court can review the debate.
He continued saying that the discussion is revealing too much about the legislation of such a law.
The Chief Justice remarked that parliamentary debate document will be helpful in interpreting the law.
On Wednesday, the court had sought the parliamentary record of the debate. Justice Jawad observed that different laws for the poor and the rich would lead us to disaster.
Abdul Rehman Siddiqui argued that parliament could not legislate against fundamental rights. In the new law, he said, the executive was given the authority over the judiciary despite the fact that the judiciary’s role could not be diminished in any case. The new law was introduced to save people like Babar Awan, Sharjeel Memon and Malik Riaz, whose contempt of court cases were pending in the court, he added.
Courtesy www.geo.tv