Amnesty says 27th Amendment part of ‘sustained attack’ on judicial independence, calls for ‘urgent review’
Human rights group Amnesty International on Tuesday termed the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment — passed into law in November 2025 — a “grave threat to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law,“ and called for an urgent review of the amendment.
The 27th Amendment, signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari in November, was widely criticised by the legal fraternity for abolishing judicial independence through the formation of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) as well as introducing changes to the military leadership structure by rewriting Article 243 of the Constitution (command of the armed forces).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the rights body labelled the Amendment as a “concerted and sustained attack on the independence of the judiciary” and called on authorities to conduct an urgent review of the amendment to “ensure that all its provisions fully comply with Pakistan’s international human rights law obligations and commitments”.
It added the Amendment “insulates the president and heads of the naval, armed and air forces from accountability”.
“The Pakistani authorities must immediately take all appropriate measures to safeguard the impartiality, independence and safety of judges, ensuring that they can carry out their judicial functions without any inappropriate or unwarranted interference and any restrictions, improper influences, pressures and threats, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason,” the rights body said.
It noted that the Amendment was in violation of “international human rights law, particularly undermining the independence of the judiciary, right to fair trial and justice and accountability”.
It urged Pakistani authorities to “uphold their international human rights obligations, effectively protect the human rights of everyone in the country, and ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims, as well as respect the separation of powers and the rule of law”.
More to follow.
