KARACHI: Amid protests by opposition members, the Sindh Assembly on Friday passed the Constitutional Benches of High Court of Sindh (Practice and Procedure) Bill with a majority vote. Members of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) vocally opposed the legislation, while Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) remained indifferent.
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The bill replaces the earlier 2025 gubernatorial ordinance and formalises the formation of Constitutional Benches (CBs) in the Sindh High Court, as required under the 27th Amendment. It grants CBs exclusive jurisdiction over constitutional matters, ensuring that every petition under Article 199 of the Constitution is heard solely by these benches.
No one will be allowed to challenge writ of the state,” says Sindh CM @MuradAliShahPPP Ali Shah as govt renews crackdown on extortion through sustained, intelligence-based operations, including action against overseas handlers. #LawAndOrder pic.twitter.com/EXk3X9kMWY
— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) December 19, 2025
One of the bill’s key provisions states that once nominated, a judge “shall not recuse, refuse, or decline” to sit on a CB. However, judges may submit a written request to withdraw for compelling reasons, subject to approval by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.
During the assembly session, JI’s lone member Muhammad Farooq demanded a debate on the law but was denied the floor. PTI members protested vocally, while MQM-P members stayed silent. Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar defended the bill, saying opposition suggestions had been incorporated and the legislation followed proper committee scrutiny before being presented to the house.
Lanjar urged legislators to respect the assembly’s procedures, stressing that the provincial government aimed to make courts more efficient and ensure timely and quality justice. He described opposition protests against the bill as “unwarranted and unjustified.”
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The assembly session also addressed other issues, including poor garbage disposal in Karachi and Hyderabad, with members calling on the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board to improve cleanliness. Additionally, Agha Shahbaz Durrani, son of former Sindh Assembly speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, took oath as a new member of the house.
The session was adjourned to Monday, concluding a day marked by both legislative activity and opposition dissent.