Pakistan President Alvi questions timing of bill to curb Chief Justice’s authority

Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi on Wednesday admitted that there was “some need to streamline” Supreme Court’s internal matters but he questioned the timing and manner of Pakistan’s government’s bid to curb the power of the Chief Justice to take suo moto notice in an individual capacity, Dawn reported.
On Wednesday, the Pakistan National Assembly passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure), Bill 2023. The bill was passed after Pakistan’s Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar tabled the bill in the assembly. While speaking about the matter on Geo News show Capital Talk, Arif Alvi said, “I think the timing could have been better. [Perhaps], it should have happened before as [passing this bill during a political] crisis raises a question mark on its timing,” according to Dawn report. Alvi said that “the timing could have been better.” However, he said that according to the analysis he had heard, “there was some need to streamline how the Supreme Court conducts itself.” He stressed that opinions to this effect started from within the Supreme Court. Arif Alvi said that questions are raised when such changes are made “by force.” He expressed hope that the judges will cooperate with one another as there does not appear to be consensus in their verdicts when their internal circumstances come to light.In response to a question about whether he will give his approval to the bill, Alvi stated that he has just seen the draft of the bill and it would be “premature” for him to say what he will do. Pakistan’s President said that he wants to play a “positive role” in the country and added that there are many crises and he does not wish to create more, as per the Dawn report.