Pakistani Lawyers Urge Judges to Reject Proposed Constitutional Court
Hundreds of Pakistani lawyers gathered on Sunday to call for judges to distance themselves from a proposed federal constitutional court, warning that any involvement would undermine the integrity of the constitution. This plea follows the government’s recent attempts to pass a controversial package of 52 constitutional amendments, which includes the establishment of a federal constitutional court, an increase in the retirement age for superior judges, and changes to the appointment process for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
The proposed amendments have raised alarm among legal experts, opposition parties, and independent lawyers, who argue that these changes are designed to enhance governmental control over judicial appointments and to address issues related to lawmakers’ defections during votes. In an open letter to high court and Supreme Court judges, over 300 senior lawyers criticized the government’s proposals as a threat to constitutional principles, stating, “An assault on our Constitutional compact is being cloaked in the thin garb of arguments grounded in the supremacy of law.”
They urged judges not to recognize the proposed court if the amendments pass and warned those who might be selected for the court that their involvement would constitute a violation of the constitution.
A government spokesman indicated that the ruling coalition plans to present the constitutional amendments in parliament during the first week of October. Meanwhile, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has accused the government of trying to extend the tenure of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, suggesting that he is aligned with the ruling coalition against the PTI.
