‘Parliament has gone beyond its mandate’

The hearing of petitions challenging various clauses of the 18th amendment has been adjourned till Thursday. Senior lawyer Hafeez Pirzada said that the present parliament has gone beyond its mandate by including the 18th amendment in the constitution.

He said that the parliament can make amendments, but it does not have the power to change the basic structure of the Constitution. However, he also said that the parliament has abused its power to alter the fundamental framework of the Constitution by adding controversial clauses.

While making his arguments, Pirzada also dispelled the impression that the court does not have the power to scrap the 18th amendment.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said that that efforts should be made to save the constitutional provision and asserted that the judiciary is obliged to save the system.

Speaking on constitutional convention, Justice Khosa asked Pirzada to elaborate on whether the court can strike down Article 2-A by terming it as legistlation.

SC to resume 18th amendment hearing today

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) will resume hearing a set of almost identical constitutional petitions challenging certain provisions of the 18th amendment on Monday (today), particularly the formation of a Judicial Commission for appointment of judges to the superior courts.

Fifteen constitutional petitions have been filed against some clauses of the amendment, particularly the establishment of a judicial commission for the appointment of judges in superior courts.

The petitions put forward that the formation of the judicial commission under the 18th  amendment is against the basic structure of the Constitution and independence of the judiciary.

Younus free to play despite hearing

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) further cleared the way for former Pakistan captain Younus Khan’s international comeback by saying that he is free to represent Pakistan despite the ongoing appeal hearing.

“Younus was not banned but merely not considered for selection so he can make his comeback at the discretion of the PCB whenever the chairman wants,” PCB’s lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi told The Express Tribune. “There is an ongoing hearing but since there was no ban involved, I’m not sure what charges the lawyers are contesting.”