Nawaz, Tareen can’t benefit from new law: Azam Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) estranged leader Jahangir Khan Tareen cannot benefit from the new law regarding the review of judgments. Speaking to Geo News, Tarar said that the Supreme Court (Review of Judgments and Orders) Bill 2023 will not benefit Nawaz and Tareen as they both have exercised their right of review against their sentences.

Earlier today, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, during the hearing of the Punjab polls case in the Supreme Court, apprised the court that the law for the review of suo motu judgements had come into effect.

The Supreme Court Review of Judgments and Orders Bill, 2023, came into force Friday after President Arif Alvi’s assent. The law states that for reviewing a suo motu judgement, a bigger bench — than the one that issued the order — will hear the case.

“In case of judgments and orders of the SC in the exercise of its original jurisdiction under Article 184 of the Constitution, the scope of review on both facts and law shall be the same as an appeal under Article 185 of the Constitution,” the law reads.

The law minister also said that the court’s verdict was considered the final one under Article 184(3), stating that “there is no room for revision or curative review in our law”. “Under the new law, common people would be given relief under Article 184(3),” he added. The federal minister further said that a debate had taken place in the National Assembly regarding the Supreme Court (Review of Judgments and Orders) Act. “The debate was broadcasted live when the Act was presented in the National Assembly and Senate.” A review petition can be filed for any case under the newly-approved bill, he added.