A section of the English language press (Pakistan Today of 28-06-2012) has reported a statement of Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira that it is being planned to put in place a new judiciary. He has further said that the parliament was supreme as it had created the constitution and it had the power to create a new one. He conveniently forgets that the 1973 Constitution was created by a constituent assembly while the present assembly is legislative in nature. It can make amendments but not a new constitution and these amendments would again be subject to judicial review. Perhaps, the PPP wants to have a pliant judiciary and not an independent one. But will the lawyers community and the civil society permit this?
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore