Pakistan on Sunday dismissed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk’s concerns over the 27th constitutional amendment, calling them “baseless and unwarranted fears.”
In a statement issued in Geneva on Friday, the human rights chief said the latest constitutional amendment, like the 26th amendment last year, had been adopted without broad consultation and debate with the legal community and wider civil society, PTI reported.
He added that the “hastily adopted” amendments undermined judicial independence and raised concerns about military accountability.
The Foreign Office, in a press release, said that “like all parliamentary democracies, all legislation as well as any amendment to the constitution remain the exclusive domain of the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan”.
“While Pakistan gives due importance to the work of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, it is regrettable that Pakistan’s views and ground realities were not reflected in the statement issued,” it said.
It said Pakistan remains “fully committed to protecting, promoting and upholding human rights, human dignity, basic freedoms and the rule of law as enshrined in the constitution”.
“We urge the High Commissioner to respect the sovereign decisions of Pakistan’s parliament and avoid commentary that reflects political bias and misinformation,” it said.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s joint parliamentary committee of the Senate and National Assembly approved the 27th constitutional amendment bill, with the opposition alleging that the government was sounding “the death knell for the Supreme Court”.
The amendment seeks to amend Article 243 by abolishing the position of ‘Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee’ and creating a new post of ‘Chief of Defence Forces’.
It also proposes the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court and aims to limit the powers of the Supreme Court.
Earlier on November 22, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) held coordinated demonstrations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Karachi to oppose the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Protesters waved black flags and shouted “Withdraw the 27th Amendment” and “Long Live the Constitution.” MNA Khan claimed the amendment was designed “to block the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from the elections.”
Human rights body flags deepening threats to democracy
Earlier in November, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), at the conclusion of its 39th annual general meeting, sounded an urgent alarm over what it describes as rapidly escalating threats to constitutional democracy, civic freedoms, and the safety of vulnerable communities across the country, ANI reported.
In a detailed statement issued by HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt, the Commission warned that the cumulative impact of recent political and security decisions is eroding fundamental rights and weakening public trust in state institutions.
HRCP expressed grave concern over the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, saying that the move threatens judicial independence by expanding executive control over matters that must remain free of interference. The Commission said the amendment severely undermines the system of checks and balances, especially at a time when democratic institutions are already under strain.