ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s newly created Federal Constitutional Court formally began operations on Friday with the swearing-in of its chief justice and four judges, but the ceremony was marred by a conspicuous boycott by five senior judges of the Islamabad High Court and widespread criticism that the appointments lacked transparency and violated established judicial norms, Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday.
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Two top Supreme Court justices quit as new law strips court of constitutional powers
ISLAMABAD: Two of Pakistan’s most respected Supreme Court justices, Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, resigned on Thursday only hours after President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a sweeping overhaul that shifts the power to interpret the Constitution from the Supreme Court to a new Federal Constitutional Court whose judges will be appointed through a process dominated by the government.
Chaotic National Assembly session sees approval of 27th Constitutional Amendment
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in a chaotic session marked by opposition protests, walkouts and heated exchanges, paving the way for the creation of a federal constitutional court and other reforms long envisioned under the country’s Charter of Democracy.
Suicide attack outside Islamabad courthouse kills at least 12, wounds 27
ISLAMABAD: A suicide bomber struck outside a courthouse in the Pakistani capital on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 27 others in an attack that heightened tensions in a region already strained by cross-border terrorism and failed peace talks.
Controversial 27th Amendment reaches National Assembly for final vote
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly convened on Tuesday for a session expected to push forward a contentious constitutional amendment that would reshape the judiciary and extend protections to military leaders, following the government’s success in steering the bill through the Senate a day earlier despite fierce opposition protests.
Senate passes 27th Amendment, reshaping civil-military balance, judiciary
ISLAMABAD: The Senate approved a contentious constitutional amendment on Monday that elevates the army chief to the top command of the armed forces, establishes a new constitutional court and alters the distribution of federal revenues among provinces, capping weeks of heated debate that has deepened divisions over the balance of power in the country.
Parliament committees endorse revised draft of sweeping 27th constitutional amendment
ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary committees have approved a revised draft of a bill proposing sweeping changes to the Constitution on Sunday, setting the stage for a contentious vote in the Senate amid fierce opposition from critics who warned that the amendments could undermine judicial independence and democratic principles.
Coalition govt tables bill to set up constitutional court, reshape top military command
ISLAMABAD: The coalition government pressed forward Saturday with a controversial overhaul of the nation’s constitution, introducing legislation in the Senate to establish a specialised constitutional court, revamp judicial appointments and bolster military powers — moves that critics decried as an attempt to concentrate authority in the executive and armed forces while eroding provincial autonomy and judicial independence.
Pakistan, Afghan Taliban talks collapse in Istanbul, though ceasefire still holds
ISLAMABAD: Negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan aimed at curbing cross-border terrorism have broken down without agreement, plunging the fragile dialogue into an indefinite hiatus, Pakistan’s defence minister said on Friday, even as a tenuous ceasefire along their shared border holds for now.
PPP backs limited military reforms, rejects curbs on provincial powers in 27th Amendment
ISLAMABAD: As the government pushes forward with a contentious proposal to amend the Constitution, the Pakistan Peoples Party, a key ally in the ruling coalition, signaled conditional support on Friday for limited changes to the powers of the armed forces while rejecting other elements that could undermine provincial rights.