Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday slammed President Arif Alvi for returning the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, without his signature, calling him a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist.
The bill aims to curtail the powers of the Chief Justice – including the creation of suo motu and benches. The PTI has strongly condemned the legislative move and said it is an attack on the judiciary.
“President Alvi’s withdrawal of the Supreme Court Bill passed by Parliament is very sad,” the prime minister said in a scathing tweet hours after the president returned the bill to the legislature.
President Alvi returning the Supreme Court Bill duly passed by Parliament is most unfortunate. Through his conduct, he has belittled the august Office by acting as a worker of the PTI, one who is beholden to Imran Niazi more than the Constitution & demands of his Office.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 8, 2023
The president has returned bills since the formation of the Pakistan Democratic Movement government in April last year and has also refused to administer oath to several members of the federal cabinet, including Prime Minister Shehbaz.
Alvi has sought advice from PTI chairman Imran Khan – who was ousted as prime minister in April last year – on several important issues, including the appointment of the chief of army staff.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said that the President has dishonored his office by his actions as he is following the PTI chief’s orders instead of fulfilling his constitutional duties.
“By his conduct, he has dishonored the honorable office by acting as a PTI activist, who sees Imran Niazi above the constitution and demands of his office,” he added.
The bill was passed by both houses of Parliament last month and sent to the President for assent amid a deep political and constitutional crisis in the country over elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
After Alvi refused to approve the legislation, the government is likely to approve the bill through a joint session of parliament.
The President returned the Bill to Parliament for reconsideration under the provisions of Article 75 of the Constitution, which states that the Bill is essentially outside the competence of Parliament and can be used as colorable legislation. Is.
In his letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Alvi said he believed it was right and proper to return the bill as per the Constitution, with a request for reconsideration to meet the scrutiny of its correctness. (If attacked in court) law).
President Alvi said that the SC Rules 1980 have been framed and enacted under the enabling provisions of Article 191 of the Constitution and adopted by the Constitution itself to regulate the practice and procedure of the Supreme Court. Empowers the Court to make laws.
“These time-tested principles have been followed since 1980 – any tampering with them would amount to interfering with the internal working of the court, its autonomy and independence,” the letter said. “
