'Pakistan's 27th amendment significant regression, direct assault on judicial independence'

Islamabad, Jan 6 Calling for an urgent review, human rights group Amnesty International has termed the 27th Constitutional Amendment in Pakistan as "significant regression" and "part of a direct and sustained assault on judicial independence"

It also urged the Pakistani authorities to take all measures to protect the impartiality, independence and safety of judges, ensuring that they can carry out their judicial functions without any inappropriate or unwarranted interference.

"The 27th amendment to the Constitution, passed in November 2025, marks a significant regression and is part of a direct and sustained assault on judicial independence, right to fair trial and the rule of law in Pakistan. The amendment violates international human rights law, particularly undermining the independence of the judiciary and shielding officials from accountability through the provision of lifetime immunity," read a statement issued by the Amnesty International South Asia Regional Office on X.

"Amnesty calls for an urgent review of the constitutional amendment and urges Pakistani authorities to immediately take all necessary 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. Pakistani authorities must uphold their international human rights obligations, guarantee access to justice and effective remedies, and respect the separation of powers and the rule of law," it added.

Earlier, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, raised serious concerns over Pakistan’s new constitutional amendments, warning that they are counter to the separation of powers that underpin the rule of law and safeguard the protection of human rights in the country.

In a statement released on November 28, 2025, Turk stated that the latest constitutional amendment, like the 26th Amendment, had been adopted without broader discussion with the legal community and the people of Pakistan. According to the changes adopted on November 13, a new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has been granted powers over constitutional cases, replacing the previous authority of the Supreme Court, which will now only deal with civil and criminal cases.

"These changes, taken together, risk subjugating the judiciary to political interference and executive control. Neither the executive nor legislative should be in a position to control or direct the judiciary, and the judiciary should be protected from any form of political influence in its decision-making," Turk said.

"A core measure of judicial independence is a tribunal’s insulation from political interference by the Government. If judges are not independent, experience shows that they struggle to apply the law equally and to uphold human rights for all in the face of political pressure", he added.

The amendment grants lifelong immunity to the President, the Field Marshal, the Marshal of the Air Force, and the Admiral of the Fleet from criminal proceedings and arrest, according to the statement.

Turk stated: "Sweeping immunity provisions like these undermine accountability, which is a cornerstone of the human rights framework and democratic control of the armed forces under the rule of law."

"I am concerned that these amendments risk far-reaching consequences for the principles of democracy and rule of law which the Pakistani people hold dear,” he added.

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