“Bill to Limit Chief Justice’s Powers Successfully Passed in Pakistan’s Joint Session of Parliament”

Pakistan’s Parliament passed a bill on Monday that limits the powers of the chief justice of the Supreme Court regarding suo motu cases and the formation of benches. This move was opposed by the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. The bill, called ‘The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023’, was presented by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar in a joint sitting of the house. The development comes two days after President Arif Alvi returned a bill passed by both houses of parliament for reconsideration, stating that the proposed legislation is beyond the jurisdiction of the legislative body. The bill was approved by both houses of Parliament last month and sent to the president for assent.