SC reforms law: Govt seeks dismissal of petitions

ISLAMABAD (Agencies): The federal government has filed an application in the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking dismissal of all petitions filed against the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act. The plea seeking to throw out all the petitions was part of the government’s response which it filed in the apex court on Saturday.

The government in its response maintained that the new law provides for regulation of the chief justice’s powers under Article 184/3 of the Constitution. There will be no trimming of the judiciary’s powers through this act, the government said and added, under Article 184/2 only the right of appeal has been granted.

Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman submitted the government’s response in the Supreme Court. It its reply, the government maintained that the petitioners challenged the law with mala fide intentions. There was no legal protection to chief justice’s master of roster concept, it added. The right of appeal is absolutely necessary for fair trial and Article 10A of the Constitution provides that right, the government said.