Volker Turk, the head of the United Nations Office for Human Rights, has stated that he was “concerned” that the 26th constitutional amendment would “seriously undermine” the independence of the judiciary.
The Supreme Court’s suo motu powers were removed as part of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which also gave parliamentarians the authority to choose the next chief justice of Pakistan from among the three most senior SC judges.
According to a statement made by the UN Human Rights office on X on Tuesday, Turk was concerned that the “latest constitutional amendments — adopted hastily, without broad consultation and debate — will seriously undermine the independence of the judiciary.”
“Established changes should be in accordance with worldwide basic freedoms regulation,” the assertion added.
On Monday, the Worldwide Commission of Legal scholars (ICJ) considered the revisions a “blow” to the legal executive’s freedom.
Santiago Canton, ICJ Secretary General, stated: They make it harder for the judiciary to protect human rights and act independently and effectively as a check on excesses by other branches of the state.
PTI pledged to launch a decisive nationwide movement against the amendment “without any fear of consequences” after the controversial bill was passed.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and lawyers have expressed concern that the Amendment would place the judiciary under the control of the government and called for its repeal.
A portion of the significant changes made to the Constitution incorporate removing the high courts’ suo motu powers, development of sacred seats, and execution assessments of high court judges.
A federal minister and a senior counsel are included in the process of appointing the top judge of the Islamabad High Court, and the amendment also grants the SC the authority to transfer any case to itself.
