Dawn
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10:55 Nov 07, 2025
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday to challenge the “attempts to do away with the constitutional jurisdiction of the superior judiciary”, apparently by means of a 27th Constitutional Amendment. The proposed changes to the Constitution have raised concerns that the move could roll back some powers devolved under the landmark 18th Constitution Amendment and further “fine-tune” the structure and the functioning of the superior judiciary. “The said proposal, as publicly reported, contemplates the establishment of separate ‘Constitutional Courts’ and the curtailment or transfer of the existing jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the high courts of Pakistan conferred under Articles 184(3) and 199 of the Constitution. “Such an attempt, if permitted to proceed, would fundamentally alter the constitutional framework, destroy the independence of the judiciary, violate the doctrine of separation of powers, and extinguish the citizens’ right of access to justice and judicial review guarante...