The National Assembly had on Monday passed the 13-clause bill which exempts “holders of public office” from the mischief of contempt in “exercise of powers and performance of functions” and allows for suspension of a sentence during the pendency of an appeal.

Petitioner Siddique Baloch has said that by proposing the bill, the government has taken an unconstitutional and unlawful step.

Baloch requested the court to declare the contempt bill as void and listed the federation and the law ministry as parties in his petition.