PTI praises two judges for quitting apex court to protest against 27th Amendment

ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday hailed the bold resignations of Supreme Court Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, calling their decision a heroic stand against an administration hell-bent on “dismantling the judiciary.”

The resignations of the two eminent jurists, in protest against the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment, marked a significant escalation in the ongoing battle between the judiciary and the ruling coalition.

Speaking at a press conference shortly after the justices submitted their resignations to the president for approval, PTI leaders Asad Qaiser and party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan lauded the justices’ defiance as a powerful stand against a government determined to erode the country’s constitutional pillars.

They made it crystal clear: Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, who refused to be cowed by political pressure and chose to uphold the constitution, would be remembered as true defenders of judicial autonomy.

Qaiser described the resignations as “a necessary act to preserve the independence of the judiciary.” He issued a passionate call to lawyers and trade unions across the country, urging them to support the justices.

“If the legal community fails to rise in solidarity with those who have placed the constitution above personal gain,” he warned, “we will slip into a new dark age – one where laws are twisted, the constitution trampled, and judicial independence is nothing more than a hollow slogan.”

He also took aim at the government’s manipulation of the legislative process, accusing them of making a mockery of the rule of law.

“How can amendments to the law be passed like this? One minute, they change it, and the next, they claim it wasn’t what they meant,” he demanded, decrying the government’s constant reversals and contradictions on critical constitutional matters.

In a pointed jab at former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Qaiser reminded the masses of Sharif’s frequent calls to respect the “sanctity of the vote.”

Yet, according to Qaiser, the elder Sharif has only appeared when the political tide suits him, conveniently absent during the crucial moments when action is needed to protect the nation’s democracy.

Barrister Gohar echoed Qaiser’s condemnation, stressing that the judiciary had faced pressure before, but this moment marked a tipping point in the country’s constitutional history.

“The judiciary is under siege like never before,” he warned. “If decisions like these continue, they will unravel the fabric of this nation.”

He drew a stark comparison between the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments, with the latter seen as a direct attack on judicial freedom.

“We will continue to protest – inside and outside the parliament,” he vowed, accusing the government of stripping the Supreme Court of its fundamental rights.

“If amendments are to be made, they must reflect the will of the people, protect institutional freedoms, and not be a tool for political manipulation.”

Both PTI leaders reaffirmed their commitment to restoring judicial independence, with Gohar declaring, “The judiciary has always faced pressure, but this time, we will ensure it remains free, fair, and unshackled.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025