Pakistan Parliament Approves Controversial Constitutional Amendment

On October 21, the National Assembly of Pakistan approved the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, raising concerns over judicial independence, Jurist News reported yesterday.

The amendment alters Article 175, establishing a parliamentary committee to select the Chief Justice from the three most senior Supreme Court judges, subject to presidential approval. The Chief Justice will serve a three-year term with a retirement age of 65.

Additionally, the amendment mandates the formation of constitutional benches in the Supreme Court and high courts, with the senior-most judge presiding. Changes to Article 215 ensure that members of the Election Commission remain in position until successors are appointed, promoting electoral stability.

The threshold for referring matters to the Council of Islamic Ideology has been reduced from 40% to 25%. The amendment also addresses environmental protection and aims to eliminate a usury-based economy by 2028.

Critics, including the International Commission of Jurists, argue that the amendments increase political influence over judicial appointments. The bill will now proceed to the president for assent.