Situationer: Reform package of dreams tainted by 'bad timing'.

The bill aimed at curtailing the powers of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) may have sailed through the National Assembly, but it has generated a new controversy as timing of this legislation is being called into question; despite the fact that such reforms in the Supreme Court's rules have been a dream of nearly all mainstream political parties in the country.

Not only the parties in the ruling alliance such as the PPP and PML-N, but even the PTI had plans to undertake comprehensive judicial reforms to address key issues, such as the appointment of judges, powers of suo motu, formation of benches. However, they were either reluctant or unable to do so in the past, when they held power.

Now, all eyes are on the Supreme Court, waiting to see how it will take the new legislation pertaining to its own domain - will it be acceptable to the court or will it adopt a more or less similar course of action through subordinate rules to put its own house in order.

The legal fraternity, however, seems divided on the proposed legislation.

Under the bill, the CJP has been deprived of his power to take suo motu action in an individual capacity, as well as his discretion over the formation of benches. The bill has proposed a committee consisting of three senior judges, including the CJP, to decide both matters.

One of the most significant aspects of the bill is that it has given, for the first time, a right of appeal to parties involved in suo motu cases.

But while the bill tabled by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar was welcomed by the ruling alliance, it was strongly rejected by the main opposition PTI, mainly because of its timing.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, said that clipping the CJP's powers on suo motu was a part of the Charter of Democracy, inked by the PPP and the PML-N in 2006, in addition to being suggested in 18th amendment.

Every party's dream

Another PPP leader, Farhatullah Babar, told Dawn that although both parties had agreed upon judicial reforms in the CoD, at that time PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was reluctant to implement them as he was of the view that it could be considered later in parliament.

He said the PPP had demanded more, saying that there must a constitutional court in the SC which would only deal with cases of a constitutional nature.

Referring to Article 191 of the Constitution, Mr Babar said if the apex court did not make the much needed...

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