Protests in Karachi Against Pakistan’s 26th Constitutional Amendment
In Karachi, senior lawyers have announced a protest against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which allows the Pakistan government to exert control over the judiciary. This announcement was made during a press conference on Wednesday. The protest’s schedule will be revealed soon.
Concerns Over Controlled Judiciary
Munir Malik, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, expressed concerns that the current government is already a controlled democracy, and this amendment will further control the judiciary. He stated, “There is a controlled democracy in the country, and now this amendment will be marked as a milestone for controlling the judiciary as well.”
Fears from Lawyers and Human Rights Commission
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and lawyers are worried about the amendment, demanding its withdrawal. Although the final legislation is considered more balanced than the initial proposal, it still raises concerns about the judiciary’s independence. The HRCP highlighted that the amendment allows a special parliamentary committee to nominate the Chief Justice of Pakistan, which could lead to political influence.
Details of the Amendment
The Pakistani government recently approved the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which grants more power to legislators. The amendment specifies that the parliamentary committee will select the Chief Justice for a fixed term of three years. This decision comes just before the retirement of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Doubts Revealed
Karachi -: Karachi is a big city in Pakistan, just like Mumbai is in India. It’s known for being a major financial and cultural center.
Pakistan’s 26th Constitutional Amendment -: A constitutional amendment is a change or addition to a country’s constitution. The 26th Amendment in Pakistan is about the government having more control over the judiciary, which is the system of courts.
Judiciary -: The judiciary is the system of courts in a country. It helps to make sure that laws are followed and justice is served.
Munir Malik -: Munir Malik is a well-known lawyer in Pakistan. He used to be the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, which is a group of lawyers who work with the Supreme Court.
SCBA -: SCBA stands for Supreme Court Bar Association. It’s a group of lawyers who work with the Supreme Court in Pakistan, similar to how lawyers in India have their own associations.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan -: This is an organization in Pakistan that works to protect people’s rights and make sure everyone is treated fairly. They are concerned about the amendment because it might affect the fairness of the courts.
Parliamentary committee -: A parliamentary committee is a group of people from the parliament who are chosen to do a specific job, like selecting the Chief Justice in this case. It’s similar to how a school committee might choose a class monitor.
