Amnesty International has raised alarm over Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it a major blow to the independence of the country’s judiciary and the right to a fair trial. The global rights watchdog is urging the government to urgently review the legislation, warning that it puts the rule of law at risk.
In a detailed statement released on Tuesday, Amnesty claimed the amendment could severely damage judicial independence. The new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), created under this amendment, is said to lack independence and put judges’ job security in danger, while also shielding the president and top military officials from accountability.
The 27th Amendment is a sweeping change to Pakistan’s Constitution, restructuring both the judicial and military systems. It creates a Federal Constitutional Court whose decisions override all other courts, including the Supreme Court. The executive branch now has sweeping powers over judicial appointments and transfers.
Changes also extend constitutional protection to the president and senior military leaders, revise defence-related laws, and strengthen the executive’s grip on power—moves critics say threaten judicial autonomy and concentrate authority in fewer hands.
Read: President signs 27th Amendment Bill into law
Amnesty described the amendment as the “peak of an ongoing attack on the judiciary, fair trials, and the rule of law.” The group called on Pakistani authorities to review the amendment to ensure it matches Pakistan’s international human rights obligations.
Amnesty further criticised the parliament for rushing the amendment into law without any input from civil society, lawyers, or opposition parties—despite its potentially sweeping impact.
Right after the amendment became law, two senior Supreme Court judges resigned in protest. Amnesty highlighted these resignations, plus another from a Lahore High Court judge two days later.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, both former senior Supreme Court judges, quit following parliament’s approval of the amendment. Justice Shah called it a “serious attack on Pakistan’s Constitution,” warning that it has shattered the Supreme Court’s authority.
Lahore High Court Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza also stepped down, reportedly as backlash over the passage of the amendment.
Amnesty noted that the amendment sped through parliament in just days, with the draft shared publicly only hours before it went before the Senate.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk slammed the amendment as “hastily adopted” and lacking broad consultation or debate.
Adding to concerns, Amnesty said the previous 26th Constitutional Amendment, passed in October 2024, had already chipped away at judicial independence.
