UN rights chief warns new amendments threaten Pakistan’s judicial independence

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned that Pakistan’s recently approved constitutional amendments pose a serious threat to judicial independence, military accountability and the broader rule of law.

In a sharply worded statement on Friday, Türk said the amendments, passed on 13 November without broad consultation, echo the pattern set by last year’s 26th amendment, which also bypassed debate with legal experts and civil society. He said the latest changes “run counter to the separation of powers” that forms the basis of democratic governance and human rights protections.

Under the revised framework, a newly created Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) will now handle all constitutional matters, stripping the Supreme Court of its authority in this domain and confining it to civil and criminal cases. The government has already installed the FCC’s inaugural chief justice and bench, following nominations made by the prime minister and approved by the president, a process that Türk said raises “serious concerns” about the structural independence of the judiciary.

“These changes, taken together, risk subjugating the judiciary to political interference and executive control,” he cautioned, adding that no branch of government should have the power to “control or direct” the judiciary. He stressed that courts must remain insulated from political influence in order to uphold rights impartially.

Türk also criticised a new provision granting lifetime immunity from criminal proceedings and arrest to the president, the country’s top military ranks, Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force and Admiral of the Fleet, arguing that such sweeping protections undermine accountability.

“Accountability is a cornerstone of the human rights framework and essential to democratic control of the armed forces,” he said.

Türk warned that the amendments carry “far-reaching consequences” for Pakistan’s democratic principles and the rule of law.