LAHORE: A fresh petition challenging the 27th Constitutional Amendment was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday, a day after a similar plea was submitted to the Supreme Court. The petitioner, Hassan Latif, argued that the amendment contradicted the preamble of the Constitution and curtailed the powers of the apex court.
Through his counsel, Latif contended that the amendment sought to restructure Pakistan’s judiciary by creating a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), transferring the Supreme Court’s original, appellate, and advisory jurisdictions to this new body. He asserted that these changes endangered judicial independence and undermined the constitutional framework, especially as the amendment was passed without consultation with the provinces.
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Latif requested the LHC to annul the 27th Amendment and declare the transfer of constitutional cases to another court as void. The amendment has been passed by the Senate, tabled in the National Assembly, and is yet to receive presidential assent.
Earlier, on Tuesday, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Jawwad S. Khawaja had also challenged the amendment in the Supreme Court, urging it to retain exclusive jurisdiction over the constitutionality of the law. He sought suspension or striking down of any provisions reducing or abolishing the SC’s authority, including transfers of high court judges, emphasizing the urgency of the matter.
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Khawaja clarified that the petition was filed in the interest of all citizens and to protect the SC, which he warned was at risk of being effectively abolished as a constitutional court.