‘Case No. 9’ removes line about 26th Amendment from its YouTube video
A recent episode of Geo Entertainment’s Case No. 9 has prompted discussion online after viewers noticed that a significant courtroom exchange aired on television was missing from the drama’s official YouTube upload.
The episode in question, which went out on Wednesday night, featured Aaminah Sheikh’s character, Beenish, delivering a rebuttal in court while defending Seher, played by Saba Qamar. During cross-examination, Faysal Quraishi’s character attempts to cast doubt on Seher’s credibility by referring to her as a divorced woman and “not a virgin.” Beenish responds by citing landmark judgments by Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, arguing that a woman’s past relationships have no bearing on her character or on a rape case, a sentiment noted in Justice Malik’s own rulings.
It was Beenish’s introduction to Justice Shah’s judgment that drew attention. In the original broadcast, she states, “Had the 26th Constitutional Amendment not been passed, blocking his way, he would have been our country’s chief justice.” The opposing counsel counters by quoting Mirza Ghalib and asserting parliament’s supremacy: “Parliament is the country’s supreme institution and it has passed the 26th Amendment.”
By the next morning, this exchange, visible in the TV telecast, had been removed from the episode uploaded to YouTube. Writer of the drama and journalist Shahzeb Khanzada later shared the unedited clip on X, confirming that the omission was not part of the original broadcast.
Judgements of J. Mansoor Ali Shah and J. Ayesha Malik on rape, consent, character of a rape survivor and what can and cannot be asked during a rape trial. #caseno9 pic.twitter.com/WRnPP2rVbu
The reference touches on a politically sensitive chapter of recent judicial history. Passed in early October 2024, the 26th Constitutional Amendment limited the Supreme Court’s suo motu powers, fixed the chief justice’s term at three years, and shifted the power of appointing the next CJP to the prime minister, who could choose from the three most senior judges. Previously, the top post automatically went to the senior-most judge.
Despite the edit, Case No. 9 has received praise for its handling of difficult subject matter. The show, starring Saba Qamar, Amina Sheikh and Faiysal Quraishi, has been widely appreciated for addressing the obstacles faced by rape survivors within Pakistan’s justice system and for including judicial language and precedent into its storytelling.