ISLAMABAD: A five-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry continued hearing a number of identical petitions challenging the Contempt of Court Act 2012 on Tuesday.
During proceedings, the Chief Justice remarked that the contempt of court law was an important tool of the judiciary to make sure their orders were implemented, which is why the new contempt law seemed to be against the delivery of justice. The CJ added that the practice of changing laws in haste was not correct.
Earlier during proceedings, the petitioners continued their arguments against the recently approved contempt law. Liaqat Qureshi Advocate argued that the required debate and deliberation was not done before the enactment of new contempt law.
On this the CJ questioned that could this law be abolished on this base.
On behalf of Karachi Bar Association President Mehmoodul Hassan, lawyer Hamid Khan argued that the contempt law is the copy of 1976 law except that a new clause regarding the president, prime minister, governors, chief ministers and other ministers has been added. Section 4 of Contempt of Court Act is an attempt to make court’s decision ineffective while it is also I contradiction of Article 189 of the Constitution, he argued.
The new contempt law was presented and approved in haste while its structure is also against the Constitution, Hamid Khan said.
The CJ remarked that the Section 4 has been added so that the punishment could no longer remain effective. He also said that it seems as if it’s the mistake on the part of the draftsman.
The SC on Monday rejected the federation’s request of a full court to hear the petitions against the recently passed contempt of court law.