ISLAMABAD: The Supreme of Court of Pakistan declared the contempt law, recently passed by the parliament, as “null and void”, while hearing petitions against the law on Friday. 

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heading a five-member bench, remarked that the immunity provided by the new law is against the Constitution.

The chief justice added that the Section 6 and Section 8 of the new law are also unconstitutional and are against the freedom of judiciary.

The Section 11, which says that a hearing will be suspended when an appeal is filed, is also against the freedom of the judiciary, the chief justice remarked, and added that the new law is contradictory to the Article 4 and 9 of the Constitution.

No government official can be given any immunity, the bench maintained, adding that the 2003 contempt of court ordinance will now come into effect.

Earlier during the hearing, Attorney General Irfan Qadir completed his arguments and petitioners were ordered by the chief justice to give rejoinders as written statements due to lack of time. More