ISLAMABAD – Former Pakistani Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan sought intervention of United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers about proposed amendments to the Constitution.
British barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC, International lawyer Tatyana Eatwell, and Jennifer Robinson are representing cricketer-turned-politician in global advocacy efforts.
As per the appeal, the proposed 26th Amendment poses threat to judicial independence, the rule of law, and the fundamental rights of citizens, including those of Khan and his supporters. Concerns have been raised that the amendments would entrench existing impunity for human rights violations by security forces.
It mentioned Transfer of Jurisdiction from Supreme Court to a new Federal Constitutional Court, impacting the enforcement of fundamental rights and constitutional interpretations while The top judge of the new court would be selected by a National Assembly committee that would meet privately, raising concerns about potential political interference.
Thirdly, the ability to judicially review actions taken by armed forces would be removed, reinforcing systemic impunity.
Appeal pushed by Imran Khan’s legal team said Pakistan’s justice system is already fragile, targeting PTI founder, his family, and party leaders through various forms of harassment and manhandling.
It also voiced concerns about implications of these amendments, emphasizing that they are aimed at diminishing the Supreme Court’s authority at a time when the judiciary is already under threat.
The proposed constitutional amendments faced widespread criticism from legal fraternity, and government plans to move forward with them this week despite ongoing debates over their constitutional validity.
As PTI chief remains behind bars, with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruling that his detention is unlawful, his family and supporters continue to call for his release, echoing the demands of organizations like Amnesty International.
Inside Constitutional Amendments: From Judiciary overhaul to Balochistan Assembly expansion
