US EditionSupreme Court Judges Mansoor Ali Shah, Athar Minallah Resign After Passage of 27th Amendment
The amendment removes the Supreme Court's power over constitutional cases and expands military authority, prompting two judges to resign over concerns of undermined judicial independence.
- On Friday, two Supreme Court judges resigned after the 27th Constitutional Amendment; Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said it `has crippled judicial independence and integrity`, while Athar Minallah wrote `The constitution that I swore an oath to uphold and defend is no more`.
- The 27th Constitutional Amendment removes the Supreme Court of Pakistan's authority to hear constitutional cases and shifts the judicial appointment process to government control.
- By expanding the army chief's role, the law centralises military authority by elevating Asim Munir to chief of defence forces with field marshal rank, lifetime immunity, and a renewed five-year term.
- On Friday the new court's chief justice was sworn in even as remaining Supreme Court judges can theoretically suspend the law, but lawyers said that was unlikely, while rights groups say the military leads the crackdown and deny political interference.
- Pakistan's wider crackdown provides context for the amendments as critics said `a mere shadow` describes the Federal Constitutional Court, which previously had 24 judges before this week.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Judicial independence crippled: Two Pakistan Supreme Court judges resign after passage of 27th Constitutional Amendment - The Tribune
According to Dawn, one of the judges described the amendment as 'a grave assault on the Constitution of Pakistan', saying it 'dismantles the Supreme Court of Pakistan, subjugates the judiciary to executive control, and strikes at the very heart of our constitutional democracy'. The Senate passed the amendment amid opposition protests.
‘Darkest day in our judicial history’: Lawyers, politicos react to resignations of SC Justices Shah, Minallah
Lawyers and politicians alike lamented the resignations of two Supreme Court judges, Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, in the wake of the 27th Constitutional Amendment’s passage as a “dark day” for the country’s judicial history. Both judges had called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi in separate letters to summon a full court meeting and judicial conference to hold a debate on the 27th Constitutional Amendment. In his resig…
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