ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s coalition allies passed a major amendment to constitution that has been accused of denting power and independence of judges and now Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also raised concerns over new tweaks.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed significant reservations over Constitution. It acknowledged changing in the amendment as compared to previous drafts, but fears amendments may jeopardize judicial independence.
Key concerns focus on how constitutional benches will be formed and their composition, which could expose them to political influence, compromising their credibility. On the other hand, the makeup of the special parliamentary committee tasked with nominating the chief justice—composed of Senate and National Assembly members based on party representation—could grant the ruling government undue leverage, undermining judicial autonomy and contravening Pakistan’s commitments under Article 14 of the ICCPR.
The commission said it does not oppose the limitation of suo moto jurisdiction under Article 184(3), it acknowledges the amendment to Article 9A, which recognizes the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a fundamental right, as a significant and necessary change that requires immediate government action.
It however expressed concerns over the political opposition of coercion in the passage of the Act, stating that these serious claims must not be dismissed, and stressed lack of thorough public debate on a unified version of the bill, raising questions about its legitimacy and intent.
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