کچھ بڑی قانونی فرموں نے خبردار کیا ہے کہ کمپنیاں اپنے قانونی بلوں کو کم کرنے کی کوشش کر رہی ہیں کیونکہ وہ بڑھتی ہوئی ان پٹ لاگت اور سود کی ادائیگیوں کے ساتھ جدوجہد کر رہی ہیں۔
تین عالمی فرموں کے سربراہان نے فنانشل ٹائمز کو بتایا کہ کارپوریٹ کلائنٹس اپنے قانونی بلوں میں چھوٹ مانگ رہے ہیں یا ادائیگی کو سال کے آخر تک ملتوی کرنے کی درخواست کر رہے ہیں۔
بین الاقوامی قانونی فرم ریڈ اسمتھ کی یورپ اور مشرق وسطیٰ کے مینیجنگ پارٹنر تمارا باکس نے کہا، \”ہمارے پاس بہت سے ایسے کلائنٹس تھے جنہوں نے کہا کہ \’میں اب آپ کو یہ سب ادا نہیں کروں گا، میں اسے ایک مختلف ٹائم فریم میں کروں گا\’۔ .
\”یہ واقعی پچھلے سال کی تیسری یا چوتھی سہ ماہی میں شروع ہوا، [clients] – ہماری طرح – 2023 کی طرف دیکھ رہے تھے اور سوچ رہے تھے کہ بہت ساری چیزیں اس طرح سے اکٹھی ہو رہی ہیں جو بری لگ رہی ہیں – ایک جنگ، بڑھتی ہوئی مہنگائی اور بڑھتی ہوئی شرح سود، \”انہوں نے کہا۔
انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ کلائنٹ اس بات پر غور کر رہے تھے کہ ان کا کیش فلو کیسا نظر آئے گا اور وہ بلوں پر لکھنے اور بجٹ کی رکاوٹوں کی وجہ سے کچھ کام کرنے کے لیے کہہ رہے تھے۔ بہت سے لوگ گھر میں زیادہ کام کر رہے تھے۔
یہ رجحان اس وقت سامنے آیا ہے جب اعلی کارپوریٹ قانونی فرموں نے خود کو انضمام اور حصول کی رفتار میں کمی کی وجہ سے لین دین کے کام میں کمی سے نمٹتے ہوئے پایا ہے۔
تھامسن رائٹرز انسٹی ٹیوٹ کی ایک رپورٹ کے مطابق، نومبر کے آخر تک فی وکیل کے کام کرنے کے اوسط گھنٹے 119 بل کے قابل گھنٹے فی ماہ رہ گئے۔ سب سے کم سطح چونکہ اس نے 2007 میں ڈیٹا کو ٹریک کرنا شروع کیا، جب وکلاء نے اوسطاً 134 گھنٹے فی مہینہ لاگ ان کیا۔ ایک ہی وقت میں، اخراجات دوہرے ہندسوں کی شرح سے بڑھ گئے۔
ہوگن لوویلز، ایک بین الاقوامی قانونی فرم، نے گزشتہ ہفتے کہا تھا کہ دسمبر کے آخر تک آمدنی میں ڈالر کے لحاظ سے 6.7 فیصد کمی آئی ہے اور شراکت داروں نے اوسطاً منافع کے حصص میں 8.2 فیصد کم حصہ لیا۔
چیف ایگزیکٹیو میگوئل زلدیوار نے کہا کہ افراط زر، کوویڈ 19 اور یوکرین میں جنگ نے فرم کی آمدنی پر وزن ڈالا ہے۔ وکلاء نے ایف ٹی کو بتایا کہ وہی دباؤ کلائنٹس کی ادائیگی کی صلاحیت کو روک رہے ہیں۔
ایک بڑی امریکی قانونی فرم کے سربراہ نے ایف ٹی کو بتایا کہ ایک کلائنٹ نے \”سالوں میں پہلی بار\” رعایت کی درخواست کی تھی اور یہ کہ فرم \”کچھ کلائنٹس کی طرف سے ادائیگی نہیں کر رہی تھی\”، خاص طور پر ٹیکنالوجی کے شعبے میں، جس میں حالیہ مہینوں میں ملازمتیں چھوڑ دیں۔
علیحدہ طور پر ٹم ہاؤس، جو میجک سرکل فرم ایلن اینڈ اووری کی یو ایس پریکٹس کا انتظام کرتے ہیں، نے کہا کہ \”لاک اپ کے دورانیے میں تھوڑا سا اضافہ ہوا ہے، اس لیے لوگ ادائیگی کرنے میں سست ہیں\”۔
لیکن انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ عام طور پر شرحیں \”کافی حد تک برقرار\” تھیں اور یہاں تک کہ بڑھ گئیں، جس سے مانگ میں کمی کے دھچکے کو کم کرنے میں مدد ملی۔
وکلاء نے کہا کہ درخواست کردہ رعایت کی سطح کے لحاظ سے کوئی اصول نہیں ہیں۔ اس طرح کے مذاکرات کچھ خاص قسم کے کاموں میں بھی زیادہ عام ہوتے ہیں، جبکہ کلائنٹس کو اعلی داؤ والے M&A پر مشورہ کی ضرورت ہوتی ہے، مثال کے طور پر، قیمت کے لحاظ سے کم حساس ہو سکتے ہیں۔
جان کوئن، ٹرائل فرم Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan کے سربراہ نے کہا کہ مؤکل \”دباؤ میں\” پوچھ رہے تھے \”کیا آپ ہماری مدد کر سکتے ہیں؟\”
اس نے مزید کہا کہ کچھ کلائنٹ مقررہ فیس کے سودوں کی درخواست کر رہے ہیں – مثال کے طور پر، جہاں وہ ایک مقررہ رقم ادا کرتے ہیں – بجائے کہ گھنٹے کے حساب سے ادائیگی کریں۔
قانونی فرم پرائسنگ کنسلٹنسی ویلیڈیٹم کے بانی رچرڈ برچر نے کہا: \”یہ ایک غلط فہمی ہے کہ تمام کلائنٹ چھوٹ چاہتے ہیں۔ . .[when many want]زیادہ قیمت کی شفافیت اور زیادہ بجٹ کی یقین دہانی۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ قانونی فرم اکثر بل کے قابل اوقات کے علاوہ دوسرے ماڈلز کی طرف رجوع کرتی ہیں اور یہ بھی نوٹ کیا کہ چھوٹ اور فیس کے مذاکرات ایک سال کے بعد آرہے ہیں جس میں قانون فرموں نے مہنگائی کو برقرار رکھنے کے لئے اپنے گھنٹہ کی شرح میں اضافہ کیا تھا۔
South Korea\’s government office is taking a second look at an anti-graft law, also known as the Kim Young-ran Law, to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Lee Do-Won, the spokesperson of the president\’s office, stated that they are considering the economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people. Under the law, individuals, including public servants, school teachers, and journalists, are currently subject to fines for spending more than 30,000 won on meals and entertainment. Lee stated that \”we are looking into whether economic measures can be taken in a special meeting related to the livelihood of people.\” As an improper request and graft act was revealed in September 2016, it is also a violation of the law if gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won are exchanged between the parties involved. These principles are being revised as South Korea has experienced excessive spending in the current situation. According to statistics in South Korea, the indication of user prices has increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had drawn up a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)
The South Korean government is currently reviewing an anti-graft law, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Law, to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Lee Do-Won, the spokesperson of the president\’s office, said that the government is considering economic measures in a special meeting to improve people\’s livelihood. Under the law, individuals, including public servants, school teachers, and journalists, are subject to fines if they spend more than 30,000 won on meals and entertainment. Lee mentioned that they are looking into whether economic measures can be taken in a special meeting related to the livelihood of people. In addition, the law also prohibits exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. These principles are being revised as South Korea has experienced excessive spending in the current situation. According to statistics in South Korea, the indication of user prices has increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time.
The South Korean government is currently reviewing an anti-graft law to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. The revised law will help to improve people\’s livelihood and prevent exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. According to statistics in South Korea, user prices have increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life, prompting the government to take action. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. The government is currently considering economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people.
South Korea is taking a second look at the Kim Young-ran Law to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. This revised law is intended to improve people\’s livelihood and prevent exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. Statistics show that user prices have increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life, thus prompting the government to take action. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. The government is currently considering economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people.
South Korea\’s government office is taking a second look at an anti-graft law, also known as the Kim Young-ran Law, to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Lee Do-Won, the spokesperson of the president\’s office, stated that they are considering the economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people. Under the law, individuals, including public servants, school teachers, and journalists, are currently subject to fines for spending more than 30,000 won on meals and entertainment. Lee stated that \”we are looking into whether economic measures can be taken in a special meeting related to the livelihood of people.\” As an improper request and graft act was revealed in September 2016, it is also a violation of the law if gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won are exchanged between the parties involved. These principles are being revised as South Korea has experienced excessive spending in the current situation. According to statistics in South Korea, the indication of user prices has increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had drawn up a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)
The South Korean government is currently reviewing an anti-graft law, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Law, to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Lee Do-Won, the spokesperson of the president\’s office, said that the government is considering economic measures in a special meeting to improve people\’s livelihood. Under the law, individuals, including public servants, school teachers, and journalists, are subject to fines if they spend more than 30,000 won on meals and entertainment. Lee mentioned that they are looking into whether economic measures can be taken in a special meeting related to the livelihood of people. In addition, the law also prohibits exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. These principles are being revised as South Korea has experienced excessive spending in the current situation. According to statistics in South Korea, the indication of user prices has increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time.
The South Korean government is currently reviewing an anti-graft law to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. The revised law will help to improve people\’s livelihood and prevent exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. According to statistics in South Korea, user prices have increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life, prompting the government to take action. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. The government is currently considering economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people.
South Korea is taking a second look at the Kim Young-ran Law to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. This revised law is intended to improve people\’s livelihood and prevent exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. Statistics show that user prices have increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life, thus prompting the government to take action. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. The government is currently considering economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people.
South Korea\’s government office is taking a second look at an anti-graft law, also known as the Kim Young-ran Law, to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Lee Do-Won, the spokesperson of the president\’s office, stated that they are considering the economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people. Under the law, individuals, including public servants, school teachers, and journalists, are currently subject to fines for spending more than 30,000 won on meals and entertainment. Lee stated that \”we are looking into whether economic measures can be taken in a special meeting related to the livelihood of people.\” As an improper request and graft act was revealed in September 2016, it is also a violation of the law if gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won are exchanged between the parties involved. These principles are being revised as South Korea has experienced excessive spending in the current situation. According to statistics in South Korea, the indication of user prices has increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had drawn up a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)
The South Korean government is currently reviewing an anti-graft law, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Law, to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Lee Do-Won, the spokesperson of the president\’s office, said that the government is considering economic measures in a special meeting to improve people\’s livelihood. Under the law, individuals, including public servants, school teachers, and journalists, are subject to fines if they spend more than 30,000 won on meals and entertainment. Lee mentioned that they are looking into whether economic measures can be taken in a special meeting related to the livelihood of people. In addition, the law also prohibits exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. These principles are being revised as South Korea has experienced excessive spending in the current situation. According to statistics in South Korea, the indication of user prices has increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time.
The South Korean government is currently reviewing an anti-graft law to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. The revised law will help to improve people\’s livelihood and prevent exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. According to statistics in South Korea, user prices have increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life, prompting the government to take action. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook had proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. The government is currently considering economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people.
South Korea is taking a second look at the Kim Young-ran Law to raise the cap on meals and entertainment expenses from 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. This revised law is intended to improve people\’s livelihood and prevent exchanging gifts or rewards exceeding 50,000 won or 100,000 won between the parties involved. Statistics show that user prices have increased by 15 percent from 2016 to 2022 for the necessities of life, thus prompting the government to take action. The Democratic Party of Korea\’s representative Kim Byung-wook proposed a second look in January 2022 to reduce the cap. This bill was named after the former judge of the Supreme Court Kim Keum, who was the head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission at that time. The government is currently considering economic measures in a special meeting to make up for the livelihood of the people.
West Virginia University physicists Paul Cassak and Hasan Barbhuiya have made a breakthrough in the understanding of the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be converted into different forms. Their findings, published in the Physical Review Letters journal, will allow scientists to better understand how plasmas in space and laboratories get heated up and may have a variety of applications across physics and other sciences. Their research will change the landscape of plasma and space physics and was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Joining WVU researchers on the project were Haoming Liang, University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Matthew Argall, University of New Hampshire. This new understanding of the first law of thermodynamics could have applications in areas such as low-temperature plasmas, chemistry, quantum computing, and astronomy. Visit the WVU Center for KINetic Experimental, Theoretical and Integrated Computational Plasma Physics for more information.
So she started looking at the state version of ADPPA that EPIC has been recommending. While Yoder isn’t introducing it as a bill, she is using elements of it, like its data minimization requirements, and private right of action. It’s still too early to tell how successful this effort will be, but the federal bill’s track record in Congress gives Yoder confidence.
“I thought the protections were good, I think what was so exciting and encouraging was that it did have bipartisan support,” Yoder said.
In Massachusetts, lawmakers introduced the Massachusetts Data Privacy Protection Act in the House and Senate after several failed attempts to pass privacy regulations in past years. Each time, tech lobbyists argued that strong privacy protections could cost jobs in the tech industry. For Massachusetts, the state with the highest concentration of tech employees in its workforce, those concerns mean a lot to lawmakers.
The state bill’s introduction comes with modifications from the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which advised on the legislation. Some changes include adding workplace surveillance protections, and removing data security requirements because Massachusetts already has laws that require them.
“We hope that legislation that has been so carefully hashed out by so many of the actors involved, and frankly endorsed by many of the most prominent tech companies in D.C., will have a better chance of success in Massachusetts,” the ACLU of Massachusetts’ Crockford said.
But these small changes will attract criticisms from both tech industry groups as well as the lawmakers behind ADPPA on Capitol Hill.
Rodgers, the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that Congress needs to take action, and wants to avoid states moving ahead with their own proposals.
“We appreciate these states recognize that ADPPA is the strongest data privacy and security bill out there,” Rodgers spokesperson Sean Kelly said, “but the best way to accomplish this is with comprehensive privacy protections and one national standard — not by doing it piece by piece or state by state — to ensure people’s protections remain the same regardless of where you are.”
LAHORE: Advocate General of Punjab (AGP) Shan Gul told the Lahore High Court (LHC) that there was no provision in the Constitution or any law requiring the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to consult the governor for the announcement of election date in the province.
A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal and Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir, was hearing the intra-court appeals (ICAs) filed by the ECP and Governor Balighur Rehman against the decision of a single bench wherein the commission was ordered to immediately announce the date for the general election in Punjab after a consultation with the governor.
At the outset of the hearing, the bench posed a query whether the Constitution had a provision for the consultation between the ECP and the governor to announce the election date.
AGP Gul maintained that there was no provision in the Constitution or any law, which envisaged any consultation between the ECP and the governor on the general election date.
AGP tells LHC announcement of date by president not backed by law
The principal law officer said he did not want to comment on the decision of the president; however, added that the announcement of the election date by the president had no legal backing.
A counsel for the ECP also supported the arguments of the AGP.
Advocate Azhar Siddique, on behalf of one of the respondents, stated that only 52 days out of the timeline of 90 were left and the governor was not ready to announce a date for the election.
An additional attorney general sought time to seek instructions from the attorney general for Pakistan.
The bench allowed the request and adjourned the hearing till Feb 27.
The ECP`s appeal, filed through Advocate Shahzada Mazhar, contends that the single bench failed to consider that constitutional provisions and the Elections Act 2017 do not, in any manner, place any responsibility on the appellant (ECP) for the pronouncement of the date of the election.
It pleads that the single bench wrongly concluded that the governor is not empowered to announce a date for the election when he (governor) does not dissolve the assembly. The ECP asks the court to set aside the impugned judgment of the single bench as the law does not empower it to announce a date for the election.
The appeal of the governor states that the single judge failed to consider the provisions of the Constitution and the Election Act 2017 regarding the role of the appellant in announcement of the date for the election.
It pleads that the single judge misconstrued the provisions of Article 129 of the Constitution as the governor despite being the constitutional head of the province was not vested with any authority in relation to the general elections as had been presumed in the impugned judgment passed on Feb 10.
The single bench, comprising Justice Jawad Hassan, had on Feb 10 ordered the ECP to immediately announce the date of elections to the Punjab Assembly after consultation with the governor, in his capacity as the constitutional head of the province, to ensure that polls were held not later than 90 days as per the mandate of the Constitution. The judge had allowed petitions of the PTI and Munir Ahmad seeking directions for the governor and the ECP to immediately announce a date for general elections in the province, since the assembly had been dissolved.
KARACHI: Another international media watchdog has expressed alarm over a law proposed by the government that aims to criminalise criticising the country’s military and judiciary.
In a statement on Tuesday, the International Press Institute (IPI) said it was alarmed by the proposed bill — under which five-year prison terms can he handed to anyone who scandalises or ridicules the military or judiciary — and stressed that the measures would expand on the already restrictive provisions in the criminal code that are increasingly used to silence critical media and independent journalism in Pakistan.
Last week, Reporters Without Borders urged the government not to criminalise criticism of the country’s armed forces as it posed a serious threat to journalistic freedom.
“The Pakistani government must refrain from [weaponising] laws to weaken free speech and press freedom and public institutions must be able to withstand public scrutiny and criticism”, IPI Director of Advocacy Amy Brouillette said. “We call on the government to commit to drafting laws in close cooperation with civil society and human rights experts to mitigate potential human rights and freedom of expression risks.”
The statement also added that journalists were often charged under Pakistan’s criminal code, including Section 505 of Pakistan’s Penal Code, which prohibits the circulation of rumours or alarming news and is often used beyond its legitimate scope to silence journalists who expose corruption or criticise government policies.
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said on Tuesday that after the recent amendments to the NAB law, there were definitive features in the law that have lessened the gravity of offences.
For instance, properties acquired in the name of family members or spouses had been taken out of the ambit of the act, and that the law now required concrete evidence to include family members as accused in a corruption reference, he said.
The CJP observed this while heading a three-judge bench that had taken up a challenge filed by former prime minister Imran Khan against the August 2022 amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
Justice Ijazul Ahsan, a bench member, said it would be very difficult to prove if the corruption reference was referred to the relevant forum after it was returned to NAB by the accountability courts.
Only five politicians among 41 acquitted after amendments, SC told
However, senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan, who represented the federal government, told the Supreme Court that the change of procedure in corruption references did not provide any right to the petitioner to substantiate the violation of the fundamental rights with that of procedure.
Khawaja Haris Ahmed, on behalf of the petitioner, also pleaded before the Supreme Court that the amendments to the law did not sanction what to do next after the reference was returned by accountability courts.
While citing several cases, Mr Khan argued that the petitioner for approaching the top judge directly had to cross the first threshold that the statute he had challenged was ex facie discriminatory and that his personal right had been infringed or he was representing on behalf of a certain class whose rights have been infracted and by filing the petition on their behalf such class would be benefitted and that the petitioner had acted in a bona fide manner.
The counsel said the amendments to the accountability law was not discriminatory, and the petitioner had to establish that they violated particular fundamental rights.
Moreover, if the statute was crafted in a manner that actions flowing out of it were capable of violating of the fundamental rights, then one has to wait for the particular action to be taken place.
The counsel also highlighted that though the jurisdiction of the apex court was enhanced during the period of former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the court was still careful to hold in the Tahirul Qadri case that the petitioner while approaching the court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution must be acting in a bona fide manner.
During the hearing, a chart was also presented before the SC, stating that 221 corruption references had so far been returned or transferred from all regions of the NAB office after the amendment ordinance of 2019 and 2020, of which 29 involved politicians and eight of those 29 were parliamentarians, whereas the total number of the accused was 1,201.
Likewise, 41 people have been acquitted after the amendments both through the 2019 ordinance and 2022 amendment acts; of them, five were politicians, including two were parliamentarians.
The chart explained that 11 references were filed against former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of which he was acquitted in two references whereas two references were returned under 2021 amendment ordinance and six references were returned under First amendment act of 2022.
Similarly, four references were filed against former Finance Minister and PTI Senator Shaukat Fayyaz Tareen of which two were returned under 2022 amendment act, whereas in two references he was acquitted.
Two references were filed against former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani which was abated under second and third amendment ordinance of 2021 as well as 2022 amendment act.
لبرل اور قدامت پسند دونوں ججوں نے مشورہ دیا کہ سیکشن 230 میں ترمیم کرنے کے لیے کانگریس بہترین ادارہ ہے، عدالتیں نہیں۔ جسٹس ایلینا کاگن نے متنبہ کیا کہ قانون سازوں کے لیے یہ بہتر ہو گا کہ وہ قانون کا سہارا لیں – جبکہ عدالت کی جانب سے قانون کی دوبارہ تشریح برسوں کی قانونی ترجیح کو بڑھا سکتی ہے اور مقدمات کے سیلاب کا باعث بن سکتی ہے۔
\”ہم ایک عدالت ہیں۔ ہم واقعی ان چیزوں کے بارے میں نہیں جانتے ہیں۔ یہ انٹرنیٹ کے نو عظیم ترین ماہرین کی طرح نہیں ہیں،‘‘ کاگن نے کمرہ عدالت اور بینچ سے ہنستے ہوئے کہا۔
یہاں تک کہ جسٹس کلیرنس تھامس – جنہوں نے برسوں سے سیکشن 230 کا مقدمہ چلانے کے لیے عدالت سے الگ الگ اختلاف رائے پر زور دیا تھا – وہ اس بات پر قائل نہیں تھے کہ الگورتھم ذمہ داری کی ڈھال میں شامل نہیں ہیں۔ تھامس نے ویڈیوز کو فروغ دینے کے لیے یوٹیوب کے الگورتھم کے استعمال کے بارے میں کہا، \”میں ان کو تجاویز کے طور پر دیکھتا ہوں نہ کہ واقعی سفارشات کے طور پر، کیونکہ وہ واقعی ان پر تبصرہ نہیں کرتے ہیں۔\”
تھامس نے یہ بھی کہا کہ جب یوٹیوب مواد کی سفارش کرنے کے لیے غیر جانبدار الگورتھم پر انحصار کرتا ہے تو اسے انسداد دہشت گردی ایکٹ کے تحت ISIS ویڈیوز کو دہشت گردی کی \”مدد اور حوصلہ افزائی\” کے طور پر تجویز کرنے کے لیے YouTube کے الگورتھم کے استعمال کے درمیان تعلق نظر نہیں آتا ہے۔
قدامت پسند جسٹس نے کہا، \”میں آپ کو یہ سمجھانے کی کوشش کر رہا ہوں کہ یوٹیوب پر عملی طور پر کسی بھی ایسی چیز کے لیے جس میں آپ کو اچانک دلچسپی ہو، وہ آپ کی مدد اور حوصلہ افزائی کے مترادف ہے کیونکہ آپ ISIS کے زمرے میں ہیں۔\”
کاگن، جو صدر براک اوباما کی تقرری ہیں، نے کہا کہ انہیں ٹیک انڈسٹری کے \”آسمان گر رہا ہے\” کے دلائل کو قبول کرنے کی ضرورت نہیں ہے کہ \”راستے پر جانے کے بارے میں غیر یقینی صورتحال ہے۔ [the plaintiff] اس علاقے میں لکیریں کھینچنے میں دشواری کی وجہ سے ہم سے جانے کو کہا جائے گا۔
\”ایک بار جب ہم آپ کے ساتھ جاتے ہیں، تو اچانک، ہمیں معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ گوگل محفوظ نہیں ہے، اور شاید کانگریس کو یہ نظام چاہئیے۔ لیکن کیا اس کا فیصلہ کانگریس کو کرنا ہے، عدالت نے نہیں؟ اس نے گونزالیز خاندان کی نمائندگی کرنے والے واشنگٹن یونیورسٹی کے قانون کے پروفیسر ایرک شنپر سے کہا۔
اسی طرح، جسٹس بریٹ کیوانا نے بہت سی ٹیک کمپنیوں کی طرف سے اٹھائے گئے خدشات کو اپنے ایمیکس بریف میں اٹھایا کہ ایک بالکل مختلف تشریح \”واقعی ڈیجیٹل معیشت کو تباہ کر سکتی ہے۔\”
\”یہ سنگین خدشات اور خدشات ہیں کہ کانگریس – اگر اس پر ایک نظر ڈالی جائے اور اس کے مطابق کچھ بنانے کی کوشش کی جائے۔ [the plaintiff] کہہ رہا ہے کہ اس کا احتساب ہو سکتا ہے – ہم اس کا حساب دینے کے لیے لیس نہیں ہیں،\” قدامت پسند جسٹس نے کہا۔
اس توقع کے باوجود کہ قدامت پسند جج دور دراز کے قانونی استثنیٰ کے لیے گوگل کے دعوے کو جارحانہ انداز میں چیلنج کریں گے، فرم اور ٹیک انڈسٹری کے وسیع تر دلائل کے خلاف منگل کو سب سے زیادہ مخالفانہ اور واضح آواز جسٹس کیتن جی براؤن جیکسن کی تھی، جو ہائی کورٹ کے سب سے زیادہ آزاد خیال بن کر ابھر رہے ہیں۔ اراکین
جیکسن، صدر جو بائیڈن کی طرف سے مقرر کردہ عدالت کے واحد جسٹس نے بار بار دلیل دی کہ ٹیک کمپنیوں کا ذمہ داری سے تحفظ صرف صارف کے تخلیق کردہ مواد کی اصل میزبانی اور ترسیل تک محدود ہونا چاہیے، اس مواد کے موضوع کو ترتیب دینے، درجہ بندی کرنے اور ڈسپلے کرنے کے بارے میں تمام فیصلوں کے ساتھ۔ عام قانونی معیارات کے تحت ممکنہ قانونی چارہ جوئی کے لیے۔
جیکسن نے کہا کہ گوگل جس وسیع تحفظ کا دعوی کر رہا ہے \”ایسا لگتا ہے کہ اس قانون کے متن سے کوئی تعلق نہیں ہے۔\” اس نے اصرار کیا کہ قانون کا بنیادی مقصد \”جارحانہ\” مواد کی پولیسنگ کی حوصلہ افزائی کرنا ہے اور یہ کہ ٹیک فرمیں جس نتیجہ کی تلاش کر رہی ہیں اس کا ٹیکے لگانے والی کمپنیوں کا ٹیڑھا اثر پڑے گا جب وہ جان بوجھ کر اشتعال انگیز ویڈیوز یا دیگر پوسٹس کو بڑھاتی ہیں۔
جیکسن نے کہا ، \”جو لوگ اس قانون کو تیار کر رہے تھے وہ انٹرنیٹ پر گندگی کے بارے میں پریشان تھے۔\” \”یہ مجھے استثنیٰ کا ایک بہت ہی تنگ دائرہ معلوم ہوتا ہے جو اس بات کا احاطہ نہیں کرتا کہ آیا آپ سفارشات دے رہے تھے یا اسے فروغ دے رہے تھے۔ … یہ کس طرح تصوراتی طور پر بھی اس سے مطابقت رکھتا ہے جو ایسا لگتا ہے جیسے یہ قانون تھا؟
گوگل کی وکیل، ولیمز اینڈ کونولی کی لیزا بلاٹ نے کہا کہ اس قانون کے دوہرے مقاصد ہیں اور ایک اہم حصہ ابھرتی ہوئی ٹیکنالوجی کے ایک اہم شعبے میں مضبوط بحث کو فروغ دینا ہے۔
\”یہ نقطہ نظر کے تنوع کے بارے میں ہے، انٹرنیٹ پر پھل پھولنے والی معلومات اور آزادانہ تقریر کی صنعت کو چھلانگ لگانا،\” بلاٹ نے کہا۔
یہاں تک کہ جسٹس سیموئیل الیٹو، جو کہ دوسرے سیاق و سباق میں ٹیک فرموں کے تحفظات کے بارے میں شکی نظر آتے ہیں، نے کہا کہ وہ شنیپر کی اس دلیل سے حیران رہ گئے کہ سیکشن 230 دوسروں کے مواد کی میزبانی کرنے اور سرچ انجن کی سرگرمیوں کے لیے استثنیٰ دیتا ہے، لیکن مضمر یا واضح طور پر نہیں۔ سفارشات
\”مجھے نہیں معلوم کہ آپ لکیر کہاں کھینچ رہے ہیں۔ یہی مسئلہ ہے،\” الیٹو نے کہا۔
بائیڈن انتظامیہ نے ہائی کورٹ میں مرکزی سوال پر گونزالیز فیملی کا بڑے پیمانے پر ساتھ دیا، یہ دلیل دی کہ سیکشن 230 کے تحفظات کو فریق ثالث کے مواد کی سادہ میزبانی سے آگے نہیں بڑھانا چاہیے۔ تاہم، ڈپٹی سالیسٹر جنرل میلکم اسٹیورٹ نے عدالت کو بتایا کہ سفارشات یا مواد کی کیوریشن کے لیے استثنیٰ کے بغیر بھی، ٹیک فرمیں شاذ و نادر ہی ایسی سرگرمی کے لیے ذمہ دار ہوں گی۔
لیکن Kagan اور Kavanauagh نے خبردار کیا کہ اس طرح کے قانونی چارہ جوئی کے لیے ایک چھوٹا سا آغاز بھی انٹرنیٹ ایکو سسٹم پر ڈرامائی اثر ڈال سکتا ہے اور ممکنہ طور پر ان تحفظات کو نگل سکتا ہے جو کانگریس دوسرے لوگوں کے مواد کی میزبانی کرنے والی کمپنیوں کو دینے کی کوشش کر رہی تھی۔
\”آپ انتخاب کیے بغیر یہ مواد پیش نہیں کر سکتے،\” کاگن نے کہا۔ \”لیکن پھر بھی، میرا مطلب ہے، جب بھی آپ کے پاس مواد موجود ہو تو آپ مقدمات کی دنیا بنا رہے ہیں۔\”
سپریم کورٹ کا فیصلہ کیسے ہے؟ گونزالیز بدھ کے روز دلائل کے لیے طے شدہ اسی طرح کے ٹیک کیس کے بارے میں اس کے نتائج سے بھی متعلق ہوسکتا ہے۔ ٹویٹر بمقابلہ تمنہ. اس کیس میں پوچھا گیا ہے کہ کیا ٹویٹر، گوگل اور فیس بک کو دہشت گردی کے اسپانسرز کے خلاف جسٹس ایکٹ کے تحت مبینہ طور پر آئی ایس آئی ایس کی بھرتی کے مواد کو شیئر کرکے دہشت گردوں کی مدد اور ان کی حوصلہ افزائی کے لیے ذمہ دار ٹھہرایا جا سکتا ہے۔
منگل کے مقدمے کا فیصلہ عدالت کے دو دیگر معاملات میں ممکنہ فیصلے کے لیے ججوں کو بھی پریشان کر سکتا ہے۔ اگلی مدت کے لیے سزا دی گئی۔ ٹیکساس اور فلوریڈا کے GOP کے حمایت یافتہ قوانین کو شامل کرنا جو پلیٹ فارمز کو صارفین کے نقطہ نظر کو ہٹانے اور امیدواروں کو مایوس کرنے سے روکتے ہیں۔ کمپنیوں کا کہنا ہے کہ قوانین ان کے آزادانہ تقریر کے حقوق کی خلاف ورزی کرتے ہیں۔
ٹیک سے متعلق تنازعات کی جوڑی اس ہفتے بحث کی جارہی ہے وہ پہلے قریب سے دیکھے جانے والے مقدمات ہیں جو اس سال ججوں نے اٹھائے ہیں ، کانگریس کے انتخابات میں دوبارہ تقسیم کرنے کے طریقہ کار اور ریاستی مقننہ کی طاقت کے بارے میں آخری موسم خزاں میں توجہ دلانے والے مقدمات کی سماعت کے بعد۔ اگلے ہفتے، ہائی کورٹ بائیڈن انتظامیہ کے لیے انتہائی شدید دلچسپی کے مقدمات میں سے ایک کو اٹھانے والی ہے: بہت سے طلباء کے کالج کے قرض کو معاف کرنے کا صدر کا متنازعہ منصوبہ۔
اب تک، عدالت نے صرف ایک ٹھوس رائے جاری کی ہے، ایک غیر واضح کیس میں متفقہ فیصلہ۔ مارچ اور جون کے درمیان ان تمام معاملات میں فیصلے متوقع ہیں۔
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