Khyber News

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Monday urged the supreme court to strike down the new Contempt of Court Law by declaring it as ultra vires  to constitution. 

A five-member bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, heard identical petitions against Contempt of Court Ac 2012. 

During the hearing Pakistan Bar’s counsel Latif Afridi requested the supreme court to declare the controversial law unconstitutional and strike down it.  He said that the impression of judiciary being opposition to the parliament should end.

The chief justice said that whatever fate the current would face, the democracy would be strengthened. He said that everyone should accept the orders of the judiciary from magistrate to the supreme court. The chief justice observed that debate on law in the parliament and supreme court are healthy signs  and said that parliament and judiciary are for 180 million of the country.

All the petitioners completed their arguments. The counsel for federal government requested for two days, but the court adjourned the hearing till Tuesday and directed attorney general to start arguments.

During today’s proceedings, the lawyers representing the petitioners in the case continued their arguments against the law. In the previous hearing, the SC had directed them to conclude their arguments today.

 One of the petitioners Shahid Orakzai said that the new contempt law would have to be read in the light of the Constitution. He further said that the new law had endangered the Constitution and that it should have been about enhancing respect for the courts.

 In his remarks, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said that the it has become a trend in the country that if a court decides in favour of a party, the party considers it fair, but if it is against that party, then the court is considered to an enemy.

 Attorney General Irfan Qadir will open his arguments in defence of the contempt act today. A ruling is expected any time during the current week.