Reserved seats were given to the party which does not belong to: Law Minister

National Assembly In the meeting of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Tuesday Minister LawN Azam Nazir Tarar has said regarding the decision of specific seats that ‘the seats were given to the party which does not belong to it.’

During the meeting, there was a discussion between the Law Minister and Latif Khosa regarding getting reserved seats for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, in which Latif Khosa said that ‘proportional representation is being talked about but we are not being given reserved seats yet. This decision does not stand in the way of a revision application.’

In response to this, the Law Minister said that ‘a review appeal is coming every day, new reviews will continue to come every day. A great injustice has been done. The seats were given to the party which does not belong to it.’

Later, Latif Khosa responded by saying that ‘women and other members are being abused who are not being given seats. Does the government want to clash again?’

On this, the Law Minister said that ‘members were de-seated without hearing, it will continue like this.’ Latif Khosa said that Kanwal Shuzab was also a petitioner, on which the Law Minister said that ‘Kanwal Shuzab said to give a seat to the Sunni Unity Council, the Supreme Court has changed the case of parentage.’

On Tuesday, a meeting of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice was held under the chairmanship of Chairman Mahmood Bashir Wark, in which the Civil Courts Amendment Bill 2024 was approved.

The committee expressed its displeasure at the non-participation of Prime Minister Nazir Tarar in the meeting and summoned him. Committee member Latif Khosa raised the question, ‘Where is the Law Minister? It is an important meeting, the law minister probably did not give it importance.

Chairman Committee Mahmood Bashir Vark while talking to the Ministry of Law said, ‘There are important bills in this meeting and you have to give answers, the representation of the Ministry of Law should be complete in the meeting. Members have many complaints against you.’

The meeting of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice of the National Assembly was held on 23 July 2024 (Independent Urdu).

Latif Khosa said that Azam Nazir Tarar has been my student, I did not teach him to come late to such gatherings. Addressing them, the chairman said, ‘There is also a complaint against you that you did not teach this to the students.’

Secretary Ministry of Law and Justice Naeem Akbar said that he is in the second meeting, the Law Minister is coming to participate in the same meeting. Law Secretary Raja Naeem Akbar said in a briefing on the ministry’s affairs that “drafting and examination of government laws is included in the affairs of the ministry, while private member bills come from the parliament to the ministry of law, if any other ministry or institution requires legal assistance.” If so, the Ministry of Law provides. Attorney General’s services are taken for legal support.

In the meeting, Secretary Law Civil Courts presented the amendment bill 2024 in the committee and said that ‘after the amendment, the appeal against the decision of the civil judge can be made before the district judge.’ According to Latif Khosa, this amendment is long overdue to reduce the burden of cases on the High Court. In the province of Punjab, there is already a law in force that an appeal against the decision of the civil court goes to the district judge.

Committee member Nafeesa Shah said, ‘It is assumed that we are all lawyers, but explain what difference the amendment will make. The chairman committee said that ‘with the amendment, civil cases will now be tried in the civil court and the district judge will have appellate authority.’

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Later, the committee unanimously approved the Civil Courts Amendment Bill, 2024.

In the meeting, the issue related to the amendment of Article 51 of the Constitution and Section 106 of the Election Act was considered, then the Chairman said that the committee should not rewrite the Constitution, but look at the Constitutional Amendment Bill. The Law Minister said that ‘Legislation is always for the future generations, there is justification to discuss Article 51 and Section 106.’

Naveed Amir Jeeva, the member of the National Assembly who brought the bill, said that after the establishment of Pakistan, the population of minorities increased by 267%, but the representation in the parliament and provincial assemblies did not increase, so the seats of the minorities in the parliament should be doubled. The number of seats for women in Parliament has been increased to 60.

Prime Minister of Law Nazir Tarar said that the statistics of the minorities should be ordered from the statistics agency for the last four years. It is true that if the population has increased, the number should also increase. Later, the committee called for minority statistics in the census.

Nafeesa Shah further discussed the matter and said that she is in agreement with Naveed Jeeva’s constitutional bill. ‘Women’s seats should be increased further. Eight women were elected directly by popular vote, women should get at least 50 percent of the seats, no party would back down on such an amendment. Abolish the quota for women, instead increase seats directly for women so that they win.’

The chairman said that it is difficult for women to contest elections in our society, it is not easy for minorities to directly contest elections. Minorities should be better represented in Parliament.’