Federal Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif while speaking in the National Assembly said that there is no politics in the matter of constitutional amendments and as parliamentarians, it is our first duty to legislate.
He said upon full agreement on the constitutional amendment document, it would come to the House.
“There was a new clarification in 63A that a vote should be taken but not counted if there is a draft proposal regarding the Constitutional Court. It is also part of the Charter of Democracy (COD) and also practiced in many democratic countries,” he said.
He said that does not mean Parliament would be overstepped.
Khawaja Asif said that a body will be created for a specific case that will look into constitutional matters.
He said people have been waiting for decades to get justice from the apex court while 2.7 million cases are pending in superior courts.
“The current constitutional amendment is an effort to reduce the burden of the courts and carries any political interest. This effort is being made to make life of the common man easy,” he added.
Khawaja Asif said after the judiciary restoration movement, the process of appointing judges was decided, at that time a senior judge was contacted by the judiciary, the role of the parliament is a ‘rubberstamp’.
He asked opposition to identify any clause that protects the interests of the government coalition.
“I don't think any person or organization disagrees with these things, we will try to bring the constitution back in a form that is compatible with COD,” he stressed.
Tarrar says proposals include to take action judges for not deciding cases on time
Federal Minister of Law Azam Nazir Tarar has said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) should not order the sugar rate and the installation of electricity poles and should not tell which party should run (the country) and telling who would be the head of the party.
He said there should be a disciplinary action against the judge for not deciding the case within the stipulated period is part of the ‘constitutional package’.
“If the lawyers reject the constitutional package, I will be responsible for it,” he said.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Azam Nazir Tarar said that how could someone forget Justice Qazi Faiz Isa and Shaukat Siddiqui references.
“We want a bench should be formed to include the units of all the provinces. If this is a government bill then firstly it should be consulted in the government circles, then the draft bill is brought before the cabinet following the cabinet gives its approval, then proposals are discussed in the CCLC committee, all the unions are represented in the CCLC,” he said.
