SC asked to fix for hearing plea against constitutional tweaks

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was requested on Wednesday to fix the petition challenging the proposed Constitutional Package for early hearing.

Abid Shahid Zubairi filed an application in the apex court under Order XXXIII RULE 6 of the Supreme Court Rules 1980 with Section 4 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023. He requested the court to urgently put the constitutional petition before the committee constituted under the Act to exercise their powers and fix it for hearing.

He submitted that the proposed amendments to the Constitution would transfer the vested powers of the Supreme Court and high courts to the Executive and entirely annihilate the principles of independence of judiciary and separation of powers.

The proposed amendment bill is a grave violation of the independence of the judiciary, the right of access to justice and an attempt to abrogate the Constitution by destroying the Supreme Court and high courts, he submitted. He further submitted that violating the basic structure of the Constitution and Articles inter alia 4, 6, 8, 9, 10A, 16, 17, 25, 68, 63A, 175A, 184, 199 of the Constitution and, therefore, liable to be set aside by the apex court.