President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday questioned the ‘timing’ of the legislation aimed to clip powers of office of the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity, saying that it could have been tabled at an appropriate time.
In an interview with a private news channel, the president to a query regarding approval of Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, replied: “It’s premature to say what I will decide”.
President Alvi noted that the bill could have been tabled at an appropriate time, considering the current situation. “I would take a right decision over the said bill after receiving the final document,” he added.
He said that he had heard different analysis, opinions and discussions related to the judicial reforms and opined that it might be addressed after taking the judiciary into confidence as well.
Meanwhile, the president stressed that he had always played a role for the resolution of national issues and was now ready to make such efforts with ‘crises resolution role’ in the current situation.
The president observed that use of force could give rise to issues and in democratic countries, issues were being addressed through development of consensus.
He said that pressures on institutions led to cracks, stressing that the ‘country’s constitution should not be disfigured’. The president regretted that in the past, 1973 constitution was wrapped after four years of its enforcement.
He observed that in the current situation, division of thinking was apparent whether it was within the political parties, parliament or judiciary and underlined that they all should strive to save Pakistan and the constitution.
President Alvi to another question, said that difference of opinion in judiciary was possible as witnessed in the US and the UK, but he stressed, personality-based differences were not good.
