Karachi: Lawyers in Karachi escalated their agitation on Saturday as members of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) staged a major demonstration at the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the recently passed 27th Constitutional Amendment. The amendment, which establishes a new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), has sparked widespread criticism from legal experts and opposition parties, who claim it threatens the authority of Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
The protest erupted after Parliament approved the amendment despite objections from several political groups, with critics alleging that the new FCC is designed to dilute the Supreme Court’s position as the country’s highest judicial body. Concerns deepened when two senior Supreme Court judges resigned shortly after the amendment was enacted on November 13, citing fears over its long-term implications for judicial independence.
The demonstration at the Sindh High Court began with lawyers chanting slogans condemning the amendment and the government. As protesters attempted to enter the court premises, police initially intervened, leading to a brief confrontation in which some officers sustained minor injuries. However, the police later stepped back, allowing the protest to continue on the high court grounds.
Inside the premises, protesting lawyers gathered in the Sindh High Court Bar Association hall, continuing their chants until the electricity supply was cut off, prompting them to shift their protest outside. The KBA has been consistently opposing the constitutional change, having observed a full-day strike last week in the subordinate judiciary and another on Monday, during which litigants were barred from City Courts. Court proceedings were suspended as lawyers boycotted their duties in solidarity with the retired judges who had opposed the amendment.
Legal experts warn that the amendment may set a dangerous precedent, potentially weakening Pakistan’s judicial hierarchy at a time when institutional independence remains a central public concern. The KBA has vowed to continue its protests until the government reconsiders or reverses the legislative move.
