Civil Courts Bill
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, under the chairmanship of Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, convened on Wednesday to deliberate on several key legislative bills.
A significant outcome of the meeting was the adoption of the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which had already been passed by the National Assembly. This bill, introduced by Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, the Minister for Law and Justice, is aimed at reducing the litigation burden on the appellate side of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The bill was introduced in response to the growing pendency of cases in the IHC, which has been exacerbated by the surge in property prices within Islamabad. Given that property valuations have exceeded 2.5 million rupees, a rising number of first appeals against civil court orders and decrees have overwhelmed the appellate jurisdiction of the IHC.
The legislation seeks to delegate certain cases to district courts, thereby easing the workload of the Islamabad High Court and ensuring faster legal proceedings.
During the session, the committee also discussed the delay in notifying the nomination of Senator Hamid Khan as a member of the Board of Governors of the Legal Aid and Justice Authority. Chairman Naek instructed that the nomination process be expedited, and that the committee should receive an update on its status in the near future.
Another key topic of discussion was the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by Senators Munzoor Ahmed and Danesh Kumar, which seeks to amend Article 51 of the Constitution.
The debate was informed by data from the 2023 population census, which highlighted that the Christian community is predominantly based in Punjab, whereas the Hindu community is mainly concentrated in Sindh. This geographical disparity could pose challenges if each province is designated as a single constituency for minority reserved seats.
Given these concerns, Chairman Naek suggested a thorough review of the bill to ensure it aligns with population data and the legal framework. The bill’s sponsors requested additional time to consider potential amendments.
The committee also deliberated on other constitutional amendment bills, including one proposed by Senator Khalida Ateeb, which was deferred due to the lack of support from the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and pending comments from other provincial administrations.
Similarly, Senator Aon Abbas had moved a Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposing the creation of a new province in South Punjab. However, this proposal was also deferred for further deliberation.
Another bill, introduced by Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir, sought to amend Article 27 regarding quotas in government employment. This bill was postponed for additional review, with the chairman emphasizing the need to examine past Supreme Court judgments on quota-related time limits before making a final decision.
The session reflected the Senate Committee’s commitment to judicial efficiency, minority representation, and provincial restructuring, while also ensuring that legislative decisions align with legal and demographic considerations.
