In Pakistan, the Constitution serves as the highest legal authority in the country. It dictates the operation protocols for the government, the parliament, and the judiciary.
From time to time, the government makes “constitutional amendments,” which are changes to the Constitution. These amendments are meant to improve laws, resolve longstanding issues, or, more rarely, redistribute authority among various institutions.
Not long ago, the government proposed a new constitutional change, which is the 27th Amendment Bill (2025). This proposal is currently being reviewed by the Senate and the National Assembly.
What the 27th Amendment Is About
Currently, the most important parts of the amendment bill are not publicly available. However, based on news articles in Dawn and other outlets, the 27th Amendment is likely to affect the judicial branch's power and the administrative structure of the courts, including the appointment of judges and the relationship of the courts to the government.
This has concerned a large part of the legal profession in Pakistan, including senior lawyers, judges, and members of bar associations and the proposed changes are seen as a potential threat to the independence of the judiciary.
How Judges Reacted
The government's plans concerning the judiciary sparked concern among senior members of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). These judges directed their concerns in writing to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), the head of the Supreme Court.
In their messages, they wrote:
There seems to be pressure on the autonomy of the judiciary.
The executive seems to be attempting more control over the judiciary.
Judges must defend the autonomy and the integrity of the judiciary together.
They then asked the Chief Justice to call a “Full Court” meeting - all the judges of the Supreme Court would seat together, discuss the matter and collectively make a decision as a single unit.
This should be interpreted as a sign that the judges are not in a battle of wills. Rather, they are hoping to unify and fortify the defenses of the system of justice.
Why the Judges Are Concerned
The Constitution of Pakistan devolves functions among three branches:
Executive → President and the Government
Legislative → Parliament (National Assembly + Senate)
Judiciary → Courts and Judges
The independence of each branch of government is a prerequisite to the equilibrium necessary for democracy to function. If government oversight control over judges is established (by, for instance, altering their appointment and sanctioning procedures), biased judgments that undermine the rational laws and favor the arbitrary will of the politician will become the norm. That is why they judges see this as a threat on the potential collapse of the system of justice.
Significance for Pakistan’s Democracy
Judicial independence means:
Judges make decisions based solely on the law and facts without considering the preferences of politicians or the influential.
Citizens can rely on the courts to administer justice without bias.
Even the Prime Minister and other government officials can be made answerable if they violate the law.
An absence of such independence may undermine confidence in the justice system. This is the reason for the importance the public has placed on the judges’ letters and the call for unity. They preserve the law and public confidence in the system as well.
Public and Political Responses
In the aftermath of the letters:
Lawyers’ associations and civil society groups sided with the judges’ quest for unity.
Some government officials stated that the judges are exaggerating the scenario and that the amendment is intended to increase system transparency.
Media interest is intense on this topic as it is likely to determine the direction of the entire legal architecture of Pakistan.
Importance for You (and Students Focusing on Law)
For someone like you Hajira — who is considering a law degree or a career in the justice system — this occurrence portrays a real-world scenario illustrating that:
Winning cases is part of the law, but it is equally important to preserve the system of justice.
Fairness often has to be defended without regard to the powerful. This is an expectation for both lawyers and judges.
Knowledge of the Constitution and democratic principles helps the citizens identify a threat to rights and freedoms.
The law is not only a set of instructions etched in a book. It is the actions, bravery, and the conscience of the people that keep it alive.
