National Assembly on Monday approved the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance, aimed at increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tabled the first bill in today’s session, seeking an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges from 17 to 34.
In his address, Tarrar said, “This further amendment in the Bill will increase the number of judges in the apex court up to 34, so that the backlog of cases can be cleared, and that after the 26th amendment, we can have judges to form the constitutional benches.”
The amendment in the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1997 (XXXIII of 1997), for section 2, stated, “The maximum number of Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan other than the Chief Justice shall
The House passed the Bill further to amend the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 [The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) (Amendment) Bill, 2024].
— National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) November 4, 2024
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Law & Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, presented the Bill.#NASession… pic.twitter.com/jhPc4johBw
be up to thirty-three.”
“In view of the consistent increase in the litigation in Pakistan and budging pendency, it is necessary that the number of Judges in the Supreme Court shall be increased. In light of the above, it is proposed to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court from sixteen to thirty-three, in addition to the Chief Justice,” the bill statement added.
Opposition benches strongly protested during the passage of the bills in the National Assembly and continued chanting slogans, creating a ruckus in the session.
Pakistan (Army, Navy, Air Force) Act amendments
After the approval of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance, the National Assembly on Monday gave nod to the amendments in the Pakistan Army Act 1952, seeking the increase of tenure of Service Chiefs to five years.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif tabled three bills seeking amendment in the Pakistan Army Act 1952, Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961, and Pakistan Air Force Act 1953 — extending the fixed tenure of service chiefs from three to five years.
“In the said Act, in section 8A, in sub-section (1), for the expression three (03) the word five (05) shall be substituted,” read the bill, which sailed today from the lower house despite the opposition fiercely protesting.
The bill — a copy of which is available with Azaad English — stated, “The purpose of these amendments is to make consistent the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, The Pakistan Navy Ordinance, 1961, and The Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953 with the maximum tenure of the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff and to make consequential amendments for uniformity in the aforementioned laws.”
