The National Assembly approved two significant bills on Monday aimed at increasing the number of Supreme Court judges from 17 to 34 and amending the SC (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance, despite opposition protests.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif presented the bills amidst disruption, with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq seen wearing headphones to shield against the noise from opposition members.
The session, originally scheduled to begin at 4 PM, was delayed by over two hours and commenced at 6:50 PM.
Opposition members protested by gathering in front of the speaker’s dais, tearing copies of the bills, while Sergeant at Arms attempted to manage the ensuing scuffle.
The agenda included the presentation of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance, which proposes that all cases be assigned to designated benches under the oversight of the Chief Justice.
Additionally, the agenda covered a notice regarding Pakistan’s Rule of Law Index ranking of 129, a motion of thanks for the President’s address to the joint session, and a notice from Aliya Kamran regarding the grounding of PIA aircraft, along with a question-and-answer session.
Meanwhile, the Senate session will tackle a 39-point agenda, introducing three new bills and reviewing 11 bills from standing committees.
The government has emphasized the importance of attendance for all parliamentary members during these sessions.
