Senate rejects IHC Amendment Bill-2019

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Senate on Friday rejected the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Amendment Bill-2019 after opposed by majority lawmakers from the opposition parties. The bill, moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Swati on behalf of Minister for Law and Justice, was opposed by Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Senators Sherry Rehman and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. They said due time was not given to lawmakers to study the bill put before the House for passage that too on the same day when a Standing Committee laid its report. Standing Committee on Law and Justice Chairman Muhammad Javed Abbasi, who belonged to PML-N, had compiled the report for laying in Upper House of the Parliament. After that speaking to the journalists, Leader of House Shibli Faraz regretted that all opposition parties having representation in the Standing Committee had debated on the bill before sending it to the Senate, but it was opposed due to personal benefits setting aside masses' comfort. Shibli Faraz expressed astonishment that Standing Committees, having representation of all political parties, were passing the bills unanimously but opposing when laid in the House. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati said the opposition was doing political point scoring as all members present in the Standing Committee meetings had unanimously passed the bill for onward submission to the House. He said around 18,000 cases were pending in the court and litigants were suffering since long due to pendency of their cases, adding it was need of the hour to improve capacity of the court for quick disposal of cases.