Islamabad:The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Tuesday reviewed proposed legislative amendments, constitutional jurisdiction, election laws and the functioning of special courts and tribunals, stressing the need for comprehensive legal scrutiny and effective parliamentary oversight.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek at Parliament House, was attended by Senators Shahadat Awan, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Muhammad Abdul Qadir and Kamran Murtaza, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, and senior officials from the relevant ministries.
The committee took up the Criminal Laws (Amendment) (Honour Killings Prevention) Bill, 2026, moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. However, consideration of the bill was deferred due to the absence of its mover.
The committee held detailed discussions on the allocation of legislative business and complexities involved in amending substantive laws, including the Pakistan Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Qanun-e-Shahadat Order.
Members observed that primary legislation and substantive laws required specialised legal scrutiny by legal experts, parliamentarians and practising lawyers rather than being scattered across unrelated administrative ministries.
Concerns were also expressed over administrative bottlenecks caused by overlapping ministerial responsibilities and jurisdictional disputes, which complicate the legislative drafting process.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar briefed the committee on previous amendments, court observations and forensic procedures, highlighting the difficulties involved in reversing or correcting legislation once enacted by Parliament.
Referring to the Rules of Business, 1973, the minister said ministries seeking amendments to existing laws or proposing new legislative changes should bring their proposals before the relevant legislative forum. He emphasised that the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice should serve as the primary committee for examining such proposals.
The committee agreed to take up procedural anomalies and jurisdictional overlaps with the Chairman Senate for appropriate review.
The committee also examined the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2026, focusing on aligning the Elections Act, 2017, with constitutional changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment and the appellate jurisdiction provided under Article 175F of the Constitution.
The law minister explained that several provisions of the existing election laws still referred to the Supreme Court, whereas the revised constitutional framework required certain matters to be transferred to the newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).
These include references under Article 17(2) concerning political parties, defection cases under Article 63A and certain election tribunal matters.
Members also highlighted inconsistencies between different provisions of the Elections Act, 2017, regarding appellate forums.
Under Section 9(5), appeals against Election Commission of Pakistan declarations concerning the annulment of polls lie before the Supreme Court, while the proposed amendment to Section 155(1) seeks to transfer appeals against decisions of Election Tribunals from the Supreme Court to the FCC.
Members warned that outdated statutory references could create procedural confusion and legal complications, with approximately 80 per cent of current appeals reportedly affected by conflicting statutory provisions.
Chairman Committee Senator Farooq Hamid Naek observed that the distribution of election-related appellate jurisdiction among High Courts, the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court involved considerable legal complexities.
He stressed the need to streamline these mechanisms to avoid overlapping jurisdictions and suggested that the issue should be addressed through a broader electoral reform framework rather than isolated amendments.
The committee also discussed the constitutional and procedural status of Ministers of State, including their definition, position within cabinet structures and entitlements relating to diplomatic passports and the use of national flags on official vehicles.
Senator Naek directed that the matter be included in the formal agenda of the committee's next meeting.
Regarding the establishment, administration and functioning of special courts and tribunals, relevant authorities failed to provide a complete briefing due to incomplete information.
The committee noted that the report submitted by the Ministry of Law and Justice contained several omissions, including details of certain ombudsman officials performing quasi-judicial functions.
Discussions also covered proposals to consolidate multiple courts into fewer functional units in Sindh, Islamabad and Lahore to improve case management, reduce backlogs and ensure efficient utilisation of judicial resources.
The committee directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to review the documents and submit a comprehensive report at upcoming meetings.
It emphasised that complete information, thorough preparation and effective coordination among relevant authorities were essential for meaningful parliamentary oversight and informed legislative decision-making.