PM Shehbaz summons federal cabinet meeting on Thursday,
Meeting decides to place proceedings of the Parliament session before the court,
The government on Wednesday decided to fully defend Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.
The decision was made in a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, hours after Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday formed an eight-member larger bench to hear the petitions against the bill.
Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and others attended the meeting.
Sources privy to the development said that the prime minister was given detailed briefing on the different aspects of the case and a detailed consultation was held on the notices issued by the apex court and the future strategy of the court proceedings.
Sources further said that the premier was informed about the court proceedings related to the bill in the meeting.
The meeting of the legal team also decided that the proceedings of the Parliament session will also be placed before the court.
Following the deliberations, the federal government decided to strongly defend Bill.
Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday formed an eight-member larger bench to hear the petitions against Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill on April 13.
The bench headed by CJP Umar Ata Bandial comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Mazahir Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed.
Cabinet meeting
Earlier, PM Shehbaz Sharif had summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet on April 13 (Thursday) in which petitions against the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill will be reviewed.
Sources said that the moot will also review country’s overall political, economic and law and order situation.
On the other hand, matters pertaining to providing funds to the ECP for Punjab elections would also come under discussion.
8-member SC bench
On the other hand, an eight-member bench of the Supreme Court will begin hearing on Thursday on pleas challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.
The bench comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Mazahir Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed will be headed by CJP Umar Ata Bandial.
The petitions will be heard at 11:30am on April 13. The bill has also been challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by lawyer Saeed Aftab in a separate plea.
