KARACHI: The legal fraternity have vowed to lodge a protest on Feb 10 against the appointment of additional judges to the Supreme Court, urging members of civil society to join their movement.

At a press conference at the City Courts on Thursday, veteran lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd, along with other senior leaders and counsel, praised the legal fraternity and civil society members who had remained stood with them in the past.

Mr Kurd urged them to support the ongoing “movement” as he claimed that once again, attempts were being made to “alter the Constitution”.

He said the 26th Amendment was yet another attack on the judiciary, reiterating that he had warned of such a move and his concerns were now being proven right.

Ali Kurd terms 26th Amendment ‘an attack on judiciary’

He also alleged that the amendment was being used to undermine the judiciary.

Speaking about the recent transfer of three judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) from different provinces, he argued that their appointments did not align with the principle of seniority.

He questioned how long the government would continue to manipulate the system and commit fraud under the guise of the 26th Amendment.

Senior counsel Munir A. Malik remarked that the current situation was more critical than in 2007. “Back then, the issue was limited to a single chief justice, but today, the entire judiciary is at stake,” he said.

He also stressed that a strong message should be conveyed that a large number of lawyers opposed the 26th Amendment and the additional appointment of judges to the apex courts.

“The 26th Amendment goes against the basic structure of the Constitution,” he said, adding that their agitation aimed at sensitising the judiciary to their concerns.

Meanwhile, the Karachi Bar Association termed the transfer of three judges a “destructive” move against the independence of high courts and the federalism.

The transfer of three judges by the president in consultation with the CJP and the concerned CJs of the high courts to the IHC was without any cogent reasons and allowing them to perform judicial functions without even taking oath for the IHC and granting them seniority over existing IHC judges was a matter of concern, the KBA said.

The lawyers’ body announced that lawyers from across Sindh and Balochistan would fully participate in the protest outside the IHC and the convention on Feb 10.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025