Islamabad: Two senior judges of Pakistan’s Supreme Court resigned on Friday in a dramatic protest against the 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it a direct attack on judicial independence. Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah submitted their resignations hours after President Asif Ali Zardari signed the amendment into law, completing its passage through Parliament.
The amendment restructures Pakistan’s judicial system by creating a new Federal Constitutional Court to exclusively handle constitutional matters, leaving the existing Supreme Court limited to civil and criminal cases. Critics say the move fragments the apex court and strengthens executive control.
In his resignation letter, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah termed the amendment a “grave assault on the Constitution,” accusing the government of dismantling the Supreme Court and crippling judicial autonomy. He said he could not continue serving in a “truncated and diminished court” whose constitutional authority had been muted.
Justice Athar Minallah echoed similar concerns, declaring that the Constitution he swore to uphold “is no more.” He said the amendment lays “new foundations” on the “grave” of the original constitutional order and accused the judiciary of complicity through silence.
The amendment also introduces major changes in Pakistan’s military hierarchy. It empowers the prime minister to recommend appointments of the Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court, Chief of Army Staff, and Chief of Defence Force. It abolishes the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee post from November 27, 2025, and allows honorary promotions to top military ranks with lifelong privileges.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the changes, saying they align judicial practices with the new constitutional structure. (Agencies)
