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Justice Mansoor takes a quip at constitutional benches during SC hearings


Justice Mansoor

ISLAMABAD: During a hearing of the Supreme Court on Monday, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayesha Malik offered both legal insights and humour on the newly passed legislation on constitutional benches.

Presiding a case over the establishment of the Climate Change Authority, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah queried on the notification for the chairman of the Climate Change Authority. He asked the Additional Attorney General (AAG), “Has the notification for the climate change chairman been issued?”

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To this, the AAG responded, “Not yet.”

“Where is the Attorney General?” Justice Mansoor enquired, only to be met with an amusing reply by the AAG, “The Attorney General was busy last night and could not attend.”

With a smile, Justice Mansoor quipped, “Now all the busy-ness is over?” leading to a ripple of light laughter across the courtroom.

The court then decided to adjourn the hearing for two weeks, with a clear directive that the Attorney General should attend the next hearing.

During another hearing, the Supreme Court’s focus shifted to an appeal against a High Court decision on the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), where the topic of constitutionality came up once again. Justice Mansoor asked, “Will this case go to the constitution bench now, or can we hear it?”

“It seems now that every day in the Supreme Court, the question will arise whether the case is for the general bench or the constitutional bench,” he added with a smile.

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The conversation took another light-hearted turn when Justice Ayesha Malik joined in, referring to the mounting constitutional cases. “Come now, it’s up to you and your constitutional bench,” she said, smiling.

With the court adjourning the hearing for three weeks, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah noted that by then, the situation should be clearer. Justice Malik, referencing the recent amendments, remarked, “Read the new amendment. Article 199 cases cannot be heard here.” To which Justice Shah, again with a smile, remarked, “Anyway, it will take some time for us to understand ourselves.”

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