Islamabad, July 25 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court has said the Contempt of Court (CoC) Act 2012 was not required in the presence of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003.
The remarks came as a five-judge bench heard 26 identical petitions filed by lawyers' bodies, including the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC).
According to The Nation, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said the Contempt Ordinance 2003 enjoyed protection under 18th Amendment.
Petitioner advocate Liaquat Qureshi argued that the CoC law was not thoroughly debated before legislation.
Hamid Khan, the counsel for Karachi Bar Association, said the CoC law had been passed in hurry and was a replica of Contempt Act 1976, adding that only the clause related to immunity to the president, prime minister, governors, chief ministers and ministers was a new one.
He further argued that the new law had curtailed the power of the court, which was unconstitutional, and that the entire edifice of the CoC Act 2012 was based on the false premise of the constitutional provisions and assumptions.
Hamid said the biggest violator of the fundamental rights was the government itself.
The chief justice said the new law was totally criminal as there was no distinction like that of Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003, wherein there was civil, criminal, and judicial contempt.
Ashraf Gujar, former president of Islamabad High Court Bar Association contended that the CoC law is against the basic theme and main structure of the constitution and it aims at creating different classes. (ANI)
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