Pakistan Introduces Judicial Transparency Ordinance, Aims to Streamline Supreme Court Procedures

Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced the promulgation of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance 2024, a move aimed at improving transparency in the judicial system. The ordinance, endorsed by the President and approved by the cabinet, seeks to revise the order of case hearings and introduce a public transcript of proceedings.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Tarar explained that the new ordinance mandates that cases be heard in the order they are received, ensuring a more systematic approach to case management. Additionally, the ordinance grants the right of appeal against judgments passed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, which deals with the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court regarding enforcement of fundamental rights.

Further enhancing judicial transparency, the ordinance stipulates the preparation of a transcript for each case, which will be accessible to the public. “This will bring more transparency to the judicial process,” stated Tarar during his televised remarks.

In another significant development, Tarar revealed that a Chinese consortium, Ruyi Group, has entered an agreement with Pakistan to establish textile parks in the Sindh and Punjab provinces. The initiative, which involves an investment of seven billion dollars, is expected to draw over a hundred Chinese companies to set up their textile units in these parks.

“This memorandum of understanding is a major success,” Tarar remarked, adding that it would significantly boost Pakistan’s exports and create employment opportunities for between three hundred to five hundred thousand individuals. He expressed confidence that this project would transform Pakistan into a textile hub.