Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim has observed that ‘no court’ can summon either the NA Speaker or Senate Chairman. He made this claim while saying that both these offices have not received a notice from the Supreme Court as yet. Such is the nature of the new contempt of court law that it has confounded even eminent lawmakers and jurists, who view it as a move to subvert the judiciary. It is the apex court’s business whether it calls these leaders or not, rather than an emotionally charged leader. Also the haste with which the bill was turned into law makes obvious the PPP government’s intention of defying the judiciary quite openly in the days ahead when the proceedings on graft case would resume. This is an unabashed attempt at clipping the wings of higher judiciary that would register far reaching repercussions.
The PPP leaders, especially those holding constitutional positions should first of all have reverence for the Constitution that is quite unambiguous about the powers of the Supreme Court. The authority of the court permits it to follow certain processes to follow the path it thinks necessary in keeping with its duty of dispensing justice. To say that it cannot do so is to make a travesty of rule of law and the very foundation on which democracy is based.