Supreme Court Sidesteps 27th Amendment Debate, Updates Rules Instead

In a recent full court meeting, the Supreme Court of Pakistan avoided discussing the controversial 27th Amendment. Instead, it focused on updating the Supreme Court Rules, 2025, to improve justice delivery. Despite calls for a debate, the amendment's implications on judicial independence remain unaddressed.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan chose not to address the contentious 27th Amendment during a recent full court meeting convened by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, as reported by Dawn. The session, initially anticipated to tackle the amendment in response to multiple requests, redirected its attention towards updating the Supreme Court Rules, 2025.

The meeting attendees unanimously ratified revisions to the Supreme Court Rules, 2025, following the committee's recommendations led by Justices Shahid Waheed, Irfan Saadat Khan, Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi. The updated rules aim to enhance service delivery, ensuring more affordable and expedient justice administration. Recognition was also granted to Muhammad Munir Paracha as a senior advocate under the new rules.

A day prior, Justice Salahuddin Panwhar became the latest Supreme Court judge to demand a full court discussion on the 27th Amendment, citing potential threats to judicial autonomy. Despite these urgencies, highlighted also by the resignations of Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, the amendment's broader implications on judicial independence and institutional security were left unexamined during the meeting, raising concerns among legal experts.

(With inputs from agencies.)