Bracing for a new movement

The decision to launch a nationwide lawyers' movement in protest against the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments could be a game-changer on the political canvas. Ali Ahmed Kurd, the famed orator of the 2007 judicial uprising, is at the vanguard, backed by two dozen office-bearers from various bar associations. However, with the opposition marginalised, the extent to which this movement can build momentum remains uncertain. Likewise, the independent group lacks the broader support of the SCBA and PBC, whose members are closely aligned with the government's narrative. That said, the bulldozed legislation has altered the spirit of the 1973 Constitution, effectively subordinating the superior judiciary to the executive. Thus, a professionally choreographed movement could, at the very least, help reform the judicial process rather than acting as a destabilising force.

Nonetheless, the grievances listed by the Lawyers Action Committee are worth pondering. They claim that the recent constitutional amendments have "wreaked havoc" on the justice system; undermined the fairness of the process for appointing high court judges; compromised the independence of the superior judiciary by creating a parallel tier at the apex court; and enhanced the influence of the executive through "court packing". The Committee also made a political statement by calling for investigating "excesses" committed in Balochistan, AJK, and G-B, alongside seeking the release of all political prisoners. Ultimately, the bottom line is to restore the rule of law and independence of the judiciary.

While the timeline for action has been set for after the courts' summer vacations, it remains to be seen how much traction the movement will gain from civil society, political parties, and the legal community itself. For many, this brings a sense of déjà vu, recalling the lawyers taking to the streets for the restoration of the chief justice nearly two decades ago. The ground reality, however, is markedly different this time; the judicial fraternity is highly fractured, while a disillusioned public remains bogged down by socio-economic miseries.