KARACHI/LAHORE — Legal challenges to the newly enacted 27th Constitutional Amendment intensified on Monday as a petition seeking its annulment was filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC), while in Lahore, a judge recused himself from hearing similar pleas and the legal community staged another protest against the amendment.
In the SHC, Barrister Ali Tahir filed a petition naming the federal government, the chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) and newly appointed FCC judges as respondents. The petition asks the court to declare the 27th Amendment “unconstitutional”, arguing that it alters the basic structure of the Constitution and undermines judicial independence.
The petitioner asserted that the amendment — which establishes the FCC and shifts significant jurisdiction away from the Supreme Court and high courts, particularly under Articles 184(3) and 199 — amounts to an attempt to create a “parallel and superior court” above the Supreme Court. Such a move, he claimed, violates the separation of powers and curtails citizens’ right to access justice.
The petition also questioned the legitimacy of the notifications through which FCC judges were appointed, calling the process “shady” and alleging that the executive “filled every seat like it owned the Constitution”. It highlighted concerns over seniority, noting that FCC Chief Justice Aminduddin Khan was fourth in the Supreme Court seniority list, while other appointees ranked even lower.
The petitioner urged the SHC to strike down the amendment and subsequent appointments as void, warning that the amendment created a constitutional mechanism that “cannot be amended even by a two-thirds majority”. An application was also moved seeking formation of a full bench of the five senior-most SHC judges to hear the case.
Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal of the Lahore High Court on Monday recused himself from hearing two separate petitions challenging the 27th Amendment to the Constitution.https://t.co/NFl67Rs0IK
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 18, 2025
Meanwhile in Lahore, Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal of the LHC recused himself from two petitions challenging the 27th Amendment, citing personal reasons and asking the chief justice to constitute another bench. The pleas, one filed by lawyers Munir Ahmad and Mian Shabbir Ismail and another by citizen Hassan Latif, argue that the amendment violates the Constitution’s spirit and curtails the powers of the Supreme Court.
Outside the courtroom, momentum against the amendment gathered pace. The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) held a general house meeting followed by a rally. Lawyers rejected the amendment, claiming it had rendered the Supreme Court ineffective by creating a parallel constitutional court.
You May Also Like: COAS Munir Reaffirms Commitment to Deepening Pakistan–Jordan Defence Ties During King Abdullah II’s Visit
LHCBA President Asif Nissoana said no institution remained to protect citizens’ fundamental rights, announcing weekly protests every Thursday. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also addressed the gathering, questioning the legality of the FCC chief’s appointment.
After the meeting, dozens of lawyers marched from GPO Chowk to the State Bank of Pakistan, vowing to continue their movement until the amendment is withdrawn.
Check out our latest video:
