Chief Justice Yahya Afridi convenes full court meeting to debate 27th Amendment

Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has convened a full court meeting for today (Friday) to deliberate on the 27th Constitutional Amendment, sources said on Wednesday.

The meeting is expected to focus on issues related to the newly enacted amendment, which has raised questions among the country’s legal fraternity.

The decision to summon the full court meeting came after three Supreme Court judges wrote separate letters to the Chief Justice, urging him to convene the meeting to review the amendment in detail.

After Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar also wrote to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, recommending that the court collectively examine the amendment.

In his letter, Justice Panhwar clarified that his correspondence was not an act of protest but a fulfilment of his judicial duty.

He stressed that a full court meeting be convened to conduct a clause-by-clause review of the amendment and that the Law and Justice Commission, as well as the Judicial Policy-Making Committee, be included in the consultation process.

Justice Panhwar expressed concern that the 27th Amendment could potentially disrupt the balance of powers, emphasising that it was the Supreme Court’s constitutional duty to safeguard the Constitution.

“The Constitution demands that we protect it. History will remember not our convenience but the courage of our decisions,” Justice Panhwar wrote, calling for an immediate full court session to preserve public confidence in the judiciary.

The sources confirmed that Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has accepted the request and summoned the full court meeting for tomorrow, where the 27th Amendment will be taken up for discussion.