Laws are not implemented like magic, says Justice Munib Akhtar.

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court of Pakistan Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the presidential reference on the Reko Diq agreement till Wednesday. A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail heard the presidential reference filed in the case. The president - on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had filed the reference to seeking the top court's opinion on the Reko Diq settlement agreement. During the course of proceedings, Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman said that the Minerals Act, 1948 was not included in the list of federal or provincial laws in the 1973 Constitution and some provisions of the Minerals Act went under the jurisdiction of the Federation, and some provinces. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial inquired whether a law would be under the jurisdiction of both the federation and the province at the same time.

Justice Yahya Afridi asked whether the government could not have amended the Minerals Rules. He questioned why there was a need to amend the Minerals Act, 1948. Justice Munib Akhtar said that laws were not implemented like...