Move to clip Pakistan Chief Justice's powers taken to put pressure on judiciary: Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has lashed out at the federal government for trying to clip the discretionary powers of the country's chief justice, asserting that the move was aimed at putting more pressure on the judiciary.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented "The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023" on Tuesday, after a suo motu notice taken by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on February 22 on elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

"Every one of us wants judicial reforms. But, their [the PDM parties'] only goal is to escape from the election," Geo TV quoted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief as saying in a televised address on Tuesday.

"The attack on the Supreme Court of Pakistan by the gang of criminals, the attempts to reduce its powers and degrade it, is being strongly resisted by the people and this resistance will continue," Khan tweeted.

Khan, 70, said the current dispensation took the decision in a hurry, only to put pressure on the judiciary, the report said.

The suo motu (on its own) power is based on the original jurisdiction of the court under Article 184 of the Constitution.

However, its usage over the years has created an impression of partiality on the part of the Chief Justice.

It was openly challenged for the first time by the two judges who were part of a bench which, in its 3-2 majority decision of March 1, directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to consult with President Arif Alvi for polls in Punjab and Governor Ghulam Ali for elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The five-member bench was reconstituted by Bandial, who took a suo motu action against the delay in elections and initially formed a nine-member bench to deal with the issue.

However, two of the nine judges differed with the decision to take suo motu notice, while two other judges recused themselves, prompting the Chief Justice to form a new bench.

Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail, in their detailed 28-page dissenting note, rejected this judgment in the suo motu case and lambasted the Chief Justice’s power to form a bench for important cases.

The coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which is supporting the ECP's decision to delay the election in the two provinces until October 8, is trying to use the parliament to curtail the powers of the Chief Justice.

Khan, the former prime minister, reiterated the demand for snap polls, saying the government has nothing in accordance with the law.

"At least 40 cases of terrorism have been lodged against me. Am I a terrorist? The government is doing nothing in accordance with the law," he added.

Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote, becoming the first Pakistani prime minister to be voted out by the National Assembly.

Since his ouster, he has been demanding snap polls in the country to remove what he termed was an "imported government" led by Prime Minister Sharif.