Babar asks parliament to limit SC powers

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday retweeted the tweet of Secretary General PPP Parliamentarians Farhatullah Babar in which he proposed limiting the powers of the Supreme Court regarding the appointment and promotion of judges through Article 191 of the Constitution.

“Parliamentarians and PDM, if they really care about restoring balance of powers then read Art 191 and act decisively. Or stop grumbling,” he said in a series of tweets and shared Article 191 and its part related to the rules and procedure stating that, “Subject to Constitution and Law, the Supreme Court makes rules regulating the practice and procedure of the court.”

Bilawal retweeted Babar’s tweet, “Parliamentarians/PDM, if you really care about restoring balance of powers then read Art 191 and act decisively. Or stop grumbling.”

In a series of tweets, Babar stated step by step, methodically and with respect, parliament must assert itself. “Ban the appointment of judges after retirement because the expectation of a post retirement job by a judge can influence his pre-retirement judgments,” he said.

Babar said with respect, the existing system of appointments/elevation of judges’ risks making judiciary of judges, for judges, by judges.

“This perception must not be allowed to gain strength. No offence intended. Everyone please heed. Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s latest letter also a crie de cour,” he tweeted.

He further tweeted that a takeaway from the current dismal situation is this and the malaise of disunity and infighting is creeping into other august houses and is no longer confined to Parliament House and politicians. “Society and institutions r getting polarised. More than unfortunate it’s dangerous,” he said.

Babar said parliament erred when it didn’t insist on the procedure of appointment of judges in 18th Amendment and bending over backwards adopted 19th Amend which too was further diluted by judicial oversight. “If experience of last 12 years is a guide revisit procedure of judges appointment,” he further tweeted.

In another tweet, he said new political philosophy in the making: “Constitution, not parliament, is supreme and Constitution is not what’s written in it but what the SC says it is”.

“Massive shift of power taking place from elected to unelected. Parliamentarians think about it. Wake up,” he tweets.