UN warns Pakistan’s new constitutional tweaks threaten judiciary
Volker Turk says recent amendments in Pakistan risk political control over courts and weaken military accountability
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (MNTV) — UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has warned that Pakistan’s newly adopted constitutional amendments undermine judicial independence and pose serious risks to the rule of law, according to a statement issued in Geneva.
Turk said the amendments — passed without broad consultation with legal experts or civil society — echo concerns raised during last year’s 26th amendment and contradict the separation of powers essential for safeguarding human rights.
Under the Nov. 13 changes, a newly created Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) now has exclusive authority over constitutional cases, removing this jurisdiction from the Supreme Court, which will be limited to civil and criminal matters.
Turk said the revised process for appointing, promoting and transferring judges raises “serious concerns” about compromising the structural independence of Pakistan’s judiciary. He noted that the president and prime minister have already appointed the chief justice and the first group of FCC judges.
“These changes, taken together, risk subjugating the judiciary to political interference and executive control,” he said. “A core measure of judicial independence is a tribunal’s insulation from political interference.”
The statement also criticized a provision in the 27th amendment granting lifetime immunity from criminal proceedings and arrest to the president, field marshal, marshal of the air force and admiral of the fleet. Turk said such sweeping immunity undermines accountability — a key pillar of democratic oversight of state institutions, including the military.
“I am concerned that these amendments risk far-reaching consequences for the principles of democracy and rule of law which the Pakistani people hold dear,” he said.
The president signed the 27th amendment into law on Nov. 13, hours after the Senate approved it for the second time amid opposition protests. Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani announced the result: 64 votes in favor and four against, meeting the two-thirds requirement.
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