Supreme Court gives detailed judgment on Farah Dogar's case

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has given a detailed judgment in Farah Dogar's case on Friday. The judgment said as regards other plea of the learned counsel for the petitioner, it is observed that Article 66 of the Constitution provides for the freedom of speech in Parliament and Committees thereof and also the immunities and privileges of the Parliament and its Members including the power to punish for contempt by making a law which may empower a Court to punish a person who refuses to give evidence or produce documents. However, it said that article 66 itself has been made subject to the other provisions of Constitution and the rules of Procedure of the Parliament. This obviously means that while exercising powers pursuant to Article 66 or the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly there can be no violation or transgression of other provisions of the Constitution. For instance, Article 66 Clause (g) of the Constitution provides for disqualification of a candidate or a Member of Parliament if he is propagating any opinion or acting in any manner, prejudicial to the Ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality, or the maintenance of public order, or the integrity or independence of judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the Armed Forces of Pakistan. Article 68 of the Constitution also states that no discussion shall take place in the Parliament with respect to the conduct of a Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court in discharge of his duties.

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