The Contempt of Court Bill of 2012 was passed in haste from the National Assembly on Monday night amid protest by the Opposition, which may intensify tension and confrontation between the PPP-led government and the superior judiciary.
The opposition said the Bill was based on mala fide intentions of the government at a time when the Supreme Court of Pakistan sought answers through the Attorney-General from the Prime Minister on July 12 to implement on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
Opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also claimed that the government was trying to use Parliament as a shield against the superior judiciary and termed the timing of the bill wrong.
Two Petitions were also filed in the Supreme Court to challenge the Bill which is yet to be passed from the Upper House of Parliament to become an Act.
Political parties outside Parliament, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jammat-e-Islami (JI), are also opposing the Bill. The government may face difficult time in future in this regard.
According to opposition parties, the government was bringing the bill at a time when cases of their leadership about contempt of court were being heard in the Supreme Court.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan also claimed that the Bill had divided the nation one of which was provided immunity from the contempt of court.
Similarly, PPP leader Senator Aitzaz Ahsan also expressed reservations over The Contempt of Court Bill.
During Tuesday's proceedings of the National Assembly, the PPP and ANP members targeted the Superior Judiciary of Pakistan despite being reminded of Article 68 by the presiding officer, Riaz Fatyana said.
According to Article 68 of the Constitution: "No discussion shall take place in Parliament with respect to the conduct of any Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court in the discharge of his duties."
Bushra Gohar opposed the increase in pensions from 50% to 75% to the widows of superior judges in 21st Constitutional Amendment Bill which was tabled on Monday night in the National Assembly and urged the government to increase minimum wages of workers instead of judges. "They are already getting salaries of Rs500,000. This Bill is not acceptable to our party," she said.
"We are representatives of the people. We are only accountable to them," she made it clear.
Noor Alam of the PPP questioned "why the Chief Justice is biased and targeting (just) one party, opening up cases against it while status quo of Punjab government is maintained".
Khwaja Saad Raqfiq defended the Supreme Court and said: "We cannot expect the judiciary to favour us, if we are involved in corruption and plunder. We are going towards confrontation with the Supreme Court through the Contempt of Court Bill."
Similarly, an important Constitutional (Twenty-Second Amendment) Bill, 2012 was introduced in the Upper of the Parliament. Not only the PML-N but coalition partners and some members of the PPP expressed reservations on it.
Haji Muhmmad Adeel and Senators Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani of the PPP also expressed their reservations over the Bill.
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