Lawyers bemoan 'remnants of judicial system'

Kurd says those who passed amendments will face accountability

QUETTA:

Senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd has expressed grave concerns, asserting that the recent constitutional amendment has led to the collapse of Pakistan's already fragile judicial system.

Speaking at a press conference in Quetta on Monday, Kurd stated that what remains now is just the remnants of the judicial system.

He was accompanied by Advocate Balochistan High Court Bar Association President Afzal Harifal, and notable lawyer Advocate Rahib Buledi.

Kurd criticised lawmakers, claiming that very few members of the National Assembly and Senate have thoroughly studied the constitution. "Those responsible for passing this amendment will eventually face accountability," he warned.

He accused major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), of misleading the public and acting as enablers.

Hinting at a nationwide protest movement, Kurd voiced concerns about the judiciary's future. He emphasised that the amendment has granted session judges more authority than judges of the high and Supreme courts. He said this raised fears that ill-informed lawmakers will now hold the power to appoint chief justices and judges.

He stressed that these developments threaten the integrity of the legal system.

The press conference underscored the growing frustration within the legal community, with Kurd and his colleagues pledging to challenge the amendment and rally public support against it.

Kurd has long been known for his strong advocacy for judicial independence. He gained national recognition as a leader of the Lawyers' Movement in 2007, which fought against the removal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by then-president Pervez Musharraf.