Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of the Parliament on Wednesday adopted the Contempt of Court Bill 2012 amid a strong PML-N protest.

Members of the opposition PML-N staged a walkout from the House against the bill, tabled by Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naek.

The bill was already passed by the National House on Monday. The bill, once signed by President Asif Ali Zardari, will become a law.

It exempts prime minister, governors, chief ministers, federal ministers and state ministers from contempt proceedings over right criticism.

Later, the session was adjourned till Thursday, 5pm.

Meanwhile, a petition has already been filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking annulment of the bill by declaring it null and void.

In his reaction, PML-N’s Raja Zafar ul Haq said his party has strongly opposed the bill.

Federal Law Minister Farooq Naek defended the move, saying the bill was not against the judiciary. He said the Parliament has the right to legislate under the Constitution.

He, however, welcomed the opposition’s criticism, terming it beauty of the democracy. SAMAA