ISLAMABAD: The judge next in line to lead Pakistan’s Supreme Court was pushed aside by the military-backed government this week, right after it rushed through judicial reforms.
Just before dawn on Monday, parliament narrowly passed constitutional amendments granting lawmakers the power to select top judges.
The government said the amendments were designed to bring a wayward judiciary into line.
Critics see it as power grab driven by the military establishment’s desire to rein in the political influence of the Supreme Court, which has issued a series of recent decisions favoring jailed opposition leader Imran Khan.
“Over the last couple of years, the judiciary has been a thorn in the side of the government of the day, particularly the military, which supports the present government,” senior lawyer Salahuddin Ahmed told AFP.
“Eventually, they came up with this scheme to subjugate the judiciary through the constitutional amendment,” he added.
The details of the amendments were kept secret from the press and public until they were read out in parliament in a late-night session.
In addition to picking the chief justice, the government will also now have increased representation in the judicial commission responsible for appointing, assessing and removing top judges.
New benches formed of senior judges from across the country will weigh exclusively on constitutional issues, which are at the core of the legal tussle between the government and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Santiago Canton, the head of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), called it “alarming that a Constitutional Amendment of great significance and public interest was passed in such a secretive manner and in less than 24 hours.”
The overhaul was made on the cusp of Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s retirement on Friday, with his scheduled replacement sidelined by the government in favor of another judge.
Under the previous laws, he would have automatically been replaced by Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, generally considered politically impartial.
But Shah sealed his fate in July when he overruled the Election Commission and awarded a handful of non-elected seats reserved for women and religious minorities to Khan’s PTI, which won the most seats in February’s election.
The verdict would have made Khan’s party the largest in parliament — a killer blow to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s shaky coalition government.
With Shah sidelined and the third in line, Yahya Afridi, elevated to top position, analysts say the allocation of the non-elected seats can be reconsidered by the new constitutional bench.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said the reforms gave the government “a dangerous advantage.”
“The manner in which constitutional benches are to be established, as well as their composition, raise serious concerns that, in practice, the credibility of these benches may be compromised by direct political influence,” it said in a statement.
Constitutional lawyer Salahuddin Ahmed predicted a future “rat race among the senior judges” who will lean their rulings toward the government in order to get promoted to the top job.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said the amendments were passed “without broad consultation and debate” which “will seriously undermine the independence of the judiciary.”
Pakistan’s foreign office on Thursday rejected the statement, calling it based on “misinformation and inaccurate understanding.”
Throughout Pakistan’s history, the Supreme Court has had massive influence in charting the country’s political course — deciding whether to remove, disqualify or even hang prime ministers, as in the case of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979.
The top court’s perceived political force has recently unnerved members of the establishment.
In a fiery speech in parliament, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the grandson of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and the son of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, accused judges in Pakistan of growing accustomed to “interfering in matters of politics, foreign policy and the economy.”
Legal expert and Supreme Court lawyer Osama Malik said the judiciary’s activism has “provided the justification for an amendment that will not only erode the independence of the judiciary but also threaten civil liberties.”
“While the government presents this argument as a sugar-coated explanation, its underlying goal is to bring the judiciary under its control,” he told AFP.
Pakistan judicial reforms see next top judge passed over
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Pakistan judicial reforms see next top judge passed over
- Parliament narrowly passed amendments granting lawmakers the power to select top judges
- The government said the amendments were designed to bring a wayward judiciary into line
Beijing’s envoy urges Islamabad to arrest perpetrators of attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan
- China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in various projects
- But the Chinese investment and nationals have been a target of militant attacks in recent years
ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong has urged the Pakistani government to arrest perpetrators of attacks on Chinese nationals working in the South Asian country, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.
China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. CPEC is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive China-led infrastructure project that aims to stretch around the globe.
Though time-tested allies, recent security challenges have put a slight strain on Pakistan’s ties with China, with separatist and religiously motivated militants attacking Chinese projects in Pakistan in recent years. A suicide blast claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed two Chinese nationals in Karachi this month, while five Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in March in northwest Pakistan.
Beijing has called on Islamabad to ensure security for its citizens in Pakistan and the South Asian nation has in turn sought to ease Chinese fears, vowing to provide fool-proof security to Chinese nationals working in the country.
“The Chinese people who come to Pakistan are helping build its infrastructure,” Ambassador Jiang was quoted as saying by the Pakistani state-run APP news agency. “They are innocent and their families deserve protection.”
He reiterated President Xi Jinping’s stance that “security is the guarantee for development” and stressed the need for strict action against militant groups responsible for attacks against Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan, according to the report.
The ambassador noted that CPEC had entered a new phase of development, with cooperation extending into emerging sectors such as electric vehicles and renewable energy. He expressed China’s desire to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in multilateral forums.
The development comes as Pakistan, which has been reeling from a prolonged economic crisis, has sought to enhance bilateral trade and investment cooperation with friendly countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, UAE and others, to bolster its fragile economy.
Earlier this month, Pakistani state media reported that a Chinese development association would invest up to $13 billion in a free trade zone in Pakistan in the next five years.
“China Asia Economic Development Association (CAEDA) will make an investment of 13 billion dollars in free trade zone of Pakistan in the next five years,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The initial layout of this investment is between 8 to 13 billion dollars while it is expected to reach 30 billion dollars.”
The free trade zone is aimed at catering to Pakistan’s domestic needs and those of the global market, while a duty-free shopping mall will also be a part of the zone where international goods will be available for Pakistani citizens.
Sri Lankan Air Force chief praises Pakistan for ‘flawless execution’ of Indus Shield air exercise
- Indus Shield-2024 is the largest multinational regional exercise that is participated in by air forces of 24 countries
- It highlighted multi-domain warfighting capabilities of Pakistan Air Force, reinforced collaboration among air forces
ISLAMABAD: Air Marshal Rajapaksa Appuhamilage Udeni Priyadarshana Rajapaksa, commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force, on Friday praised the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) for the “flawless execution” of Indus Shield 2024 air exercises that featured personnel from various friendly nations, the Pakistani military said.
Indus Shield-2024 is the largest multinational regional exercise in which air forces from 24 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye, were taking part, aiming to foster interoperability and training through state-of-the-art facilities, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
The aerial exercise featured the participation of various air chiefs and high-ranking military officials from allied countries who witnessed the mega event. It highlighted the premier multi-domain warfighting capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force and reinforced the importance of collaboration among air forces worldwide.
During his official visit to witness the exercise, Air Marshal Rajapaksa called on PAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad, with the meeting covering a wide array of topics pertaining operational matters in the context of regional security.
“The Commander of Sri Lankan Air Force commended PAF’s achievements in indigenization and its strategic transformation into a Next Generation Air Force under current leadership,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“Visiting dignitary lauded the professionalism of PAF personnel and praised the role played by Pakistan Air Force in the organization and flawless execution of the mega event to bring together all the top air powers from across the globe.”
During the meeting, the PAF chief shared insights into various ongoing modernization projects of the Pakistan Air Force’s operational construct, force goals and plans for the force structure with a keen focus on future warfare, according to the statement.
The Sri Lankan air chief expressed his desire to further optimize the existing military ties between the two countries with a specific focus on basic and advanced trainings, maintenance and strengthening the operational competencies of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
“Chief of Air Staff Pakistan Air Force assured of all kind of support to friendly air force,” the ISPR added.
Pakistan urges UN to strengthen role of International Court of Justice for global order
- Munir Akram says ICJ’s relevance has increased amid global conflicts when Security Council is ‘paralyzed’
- He says ICJ should be able to hold member states accountable for violations of international law
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations on Friday urged the world body to expand the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), calling it integral to the international architecture and emphasizing that justice is crucial for preserving global order.
The ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the UN, settles legal disputes between states and provides advisory opinions on international legal questions. Its relevance has grown amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with countries like South Africa taking Israel to the ICJ under the Genocide Convention for the killing of tens of thousands of unarmed Palestinians.
The court’s active role in the matter was reflected in the recommendation by its prosecutor to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, solidifying the ICJ’s position in addressing pressing international issues.
“Given the proven capacity of the ICJ to play a meaningful role in the defense of international law and justice, it is essential to further strengthen the role of the ICJ in the preservation of world order,” Ambassador Munir Akram said during a UN discussion focusing on the world court.
He noted that 75 countries, including Pakistan, had accepted its compulsory jurisdiction, adding that these member states valued its ability to resolve complex international disputes.
Akram emphasized the ICJ had become amid ongoing global conflicts, particularly when the Security Council “is virtually paralyzed” by the frequent use or threat of veto power.
He called for expanding the ICJ’s compulsory jurisdiction “for all items on the Security Council’s agenda or at least those where the Charter’s principles and Security Council resolutions are being violated.”
“The ICJ is also well placed to play a larger role in ensuring accountability of Member States for the violations of international law and determining the damage and compensation due to aggrieved parties,” he added.
The Pakistani diplomat further advocated for enlarging the ICJ to handle its growing case-load and ensuring it receives adequate budgetary resources to undertake its work.
Militants kill young army cadet during evening prayers in northwest Pakistan
- Incident occurred when 19-year-old Arif Ullah was visiting his hometown on leave
- Military says the young PMA cadet fought back, saved worshippers during the attack
ISLAMABAD: A 19-year-old cadet of the Pakistan Military Academy, on leave from training in Kakul, was killed by militants on Friday while attending evening prayers at his hometown mosque in northwest Pakistan, according to a statement from the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The incident occurred in Lakki Marwat, a volatile district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, where militants from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have frequently targeted police precincts and checkpoints, killing several law enforcement personnel.
Pakistan’s western provinces of KP and Balochistan, which share borders with Afghanistan, have seen an increase in militant violence in recent months. While the armed factions operating in these regions pursue distinct political agendas, Pakistani officials assert they collaborate on certain operations.
Islamabad has also accused Afghan authorities of “facilitating” these groups, whose leadership is reportedly based across the border, to launch attacks in its territory. Afghan officials, however, deny these claims, saying that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter.
“On 25 October 2024, Khwarij [militants] attacked a Mosque in District Lakki Marwat during Maghrib [evening] Prayers,” the ISPR said in its statement. “Gentleman Cadet Arif Ullah (under training at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul & on leave at his hometown), was also present there, offering prayers in the same Mosque.”
“As soon as Khwarij started firing, he immediately responded and fought the khwarij bravely,” the statement added. “However, during the incident, Gentleman Cadet Arif Ullah (Age 19 years) embarced Shahadat [martyrdom] sacrificing his life, while saving many innocent lives of worshippers.”
The ISPR said such acts of attacking worshippers in mosques reflected the ideology of the militants.
It also noted that the young cadet’s spirit of sacrifice also showed the dedication of Pakistani security forces who wanted to eliminate militant violence from the country.
Pakistan, Bangladesh agree to strengthen strategic cooperation at Samoa meeting
- Ishaq Dar meets Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser on the sidelines of Commonwealth conference
- The two sides agree to enhance high-level dialogue, discuss trade and cultural exchanges
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to enhance high-level dialogue and strengthen strategic cooperation on Friday, as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Muhammad Touhid Hossain, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
Relations between the two countries have mostly remained uneasy since 1971, when Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan following a violent war. Tensions particularly deepened under the tenure of Sheikh Hasina Wajid, daughter of Bangladesh’s founding leader. However, the downfall of her administration in a popular uprising this year has opened the door for improved cooperation, with both nations signaling a renewed focus on economic ties and diplomatic engagement.
“Deputy Prime Minister Dar and Adviser for Foreign Affairs Hossain agreed to advance high-level dialogue and cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh, particularly in the areas of trade, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contacts,” Pakistan’s foreign office announced in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after the meeting.
“Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation at various multilateral fora,” it added.
Dar’s meeting with the Bangladeshi official comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s interaction with the top interim administration official in Dhaka, Muhammad Yunus, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.
During this meeting, they discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation and exchanged pleasantries, marking a notable diplomatic engagement between the two nations following the change of political dispensation in Bangladesh.
