ISLAMABAD – Supreme Court Judge Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail on Friday raised important questions about the limits of the apex court’s powers during a hearing on PTI’s appeal regarding reserved seats. He asked, “Does the Supreme Court have unlimited powers? There should be some limits!”
An 11-member constitutional bench, headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, continued hearing the review petition. Advocate Salman Akram Raja, representing PTI’s Kanwal Shauzab, argued that it is the Supreme Court’s constitutional duty to protect fundamental rights — a responsibility clearly mentioned in the Constitution.
Justice Mandokhail questioned how Article 187 applies to this case. In response, Advocate Raja stated that he would provide detailed arguments later, but emphasized that the Supreme Court can use Articles 184(3) and 187 together to ensure justice in matters of public interest and national importance.
However, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar observed that Articles 199 and 187 cannot be interpreted together, noting that high courts sometimes hold greater jurisdiction under Article 199. Justice Salahuddin Panhwar also questioned what the constitutional limits of the Supreme Court’s authority should be.
Justice Mandokhail further asked whether the apex court could act even when no specific constitutional article applies. Advocate Raja said the court must intervene to ensure justice in such cases. He maintained that the previous decision on reserved seats did not exceed the court’s authority.
The hearing ended with the bench adjourning the proceedings until Monday at 9:30 am. The debate has sparked interest nationwide, as it touches on the critical balance between judicial power and constitutional boundaries.