Protecting the charter: Celebrations in Multan

Lawyers from the Lahore High Court Bar Association (MHCBA) were ecstatic after the Supreme Court struck down the Contempt of Court Act.
They pulled off the black armbands that they had been wearing in protest at the controversial law passed by parliament. They also pulled down the black flag hoisted atop the Bar building.
Talking to The Express Tribune MHCBA President Mehmood Ashraf Khan said the Supreme Court has proven itself as the custodian of the Constitution.  He added that the apex court has assured the people that it would neither allow the Constitution to be disfigured by parliament nor corruption to thrive in the country.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) also organised celebrations in different parts of the city supporting the court’s decision. PTI leader Tariq Naeemullah raised slogans in favour of the judiciary.

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Contempt law: SC seeks parliamentary record

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) resumed hearing of various identical petitions challenging the Contempt of Court Act 2012.
 A five-judge bench of the apex court comprising Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Shakirullah Jan, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jilani was hearing the petitions against the law.
The court has sought parliamentary record of the debate took place during the passage of contempt bill. Justice Jawad observed that different laws for the poor and the rich would lead us to disaster.
During today’s proceedings, the lawyers representing the petitioners in the case continued their arguments against the contempt law. Abdul Rehman Siddiqui Advocate argued that the Parliament cannot legislate a law against the fundamental rights. In the new law, the executive was given the authority over judiciary despite the fact that the judiciary’s role cannot be diminished in any case.
The new law was introduced to save people like Babar Awan, Sharjeel Memon, Malik Riaz, whose contempt of court cases were pending in the court, he added.
AK Dogar argued that according to the Constitution it is a dead law.
The court directed the counsel for the federal government, Abdul Shakoor Paracha to produce the parliamentary record.
The Chief Justice observed that if they have not given immunity to the PM they will not give to the President as well. He questioned as to whether the US Presidents Richard Nixon and Clinton were granted immunity.

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