Two senior Supreme Court judges resigned on Thursday, just hours after President Asif Ali Zardari signed the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment into law, marking a historic moment in Pakistan’s judicial history.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah submitted their resignations to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, both expressing deep concerns about the amendment’s impact on judicial independence and constitutional rights.
In his powerful resignation letter, Justice Shah wrote: “Today, I am asked to serve in a court stripped of its constitutional jurisdiction, a court that no longer guards the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan. That is not the court I joined, nor the judicial life I chose.”
His words reflected the profound disappointment felt about changes that he believes have fundamentally altered the Supreme Court’s role in protecting citizens’ rights.
Justice Minallah’s letter carried similar concerns. He referenced his oath taken eleven years ago to defend “the Constitution,” emphasizing he swore to protect a specific constitutional framework, not just any version of it. He revealed that he had already written to the Chief Justice before the amendment’s passage, warning about its serious implications for Pakistan’s constitutional order.
Both judges called for a full court meeting and judicial conference to discuss the amendment’s far-reaching consequences. Justice Minallah noted his concerns had now materialized amid what he described as “selective silence and inaction” from other quarters.
The resignations have sparked intense debate about judicial independence and constitutional governance in Pakistan.
