• SHCBA organises convention on high court premises
• Munir Malik demands live telecast of hearing of petitions against 26th and 27th amendments
• Ex-LHCBA president Rabia Bajwa slams transfer of high court judges

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) organised a lawyers’ convention on Monday, where representatives of the legal fraternity voiced concerns over recent amendments to the Constitution, saying that the tweaks have “ended the concept of constitutional supremacy.”

Lawyers from across the country gathered on the premises of the Sindh High Court to attend the convention on the topic of ‘Rule of Law’.

Senior lawyer Hamid Khan was of the view that laws were being enacted for the elite class of the country and alleged that the Constitution of 1973 had been defaced by the same party which had founded it.

In an indirect reference to the disqualification of the then-prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani by the Supreme Court, he asserted that a man was disqualified in 2012 under a law. “If the law was flawed then why was the judiciary being targeted in retaliation,” he asked.

Khan, who has also served as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), further alleged that at present, the democracy was working under a “dictatorship.”

Without naming anyone, he alleged that some members of the judiciary were also helping those who were behind the 26th Amendment and defacing the Constitution.

Former SCBA president Munir A. Malik said that the leadership of 2007 lawyers’ movement came for moral support of the current leadership of the legal fraternity. He also advised the lawyers that there was no need for any disappointment and such conventions would change the mindset of people.

He also slammed the 26th and 27th Amendments and said the hearing of petitions filed against such amendments before the superior courts should be televised live.

Senior lawyer Akhtar Hussain said that the recent amendments made to the Constitution were not only against its basic structure but also ended the supremacy of the Constitution. These changes were unconstitutionally brought and blue-eyed people were being appointed to the judiciary, he added.

He also criticised corporate farming and stated that such a concept was still here due to the feudal system and land reforms were needed to resolve such issues.

Referring to the last general elections, seasoned lawyer Salman Akram Raja, who is also the secretary general of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, said that the people had taken a very clear decision on Feb 8, 2024, but the feudal lords were brought in and these amendments were made to prolong “the system of injustice.”

He was of the view that the underprivileged people were being deprived of their rights through corporate farming.

Another former SCBA president Ali Ahmed Kurd highlighted the sacrifices rendered by the legal fraternity across the century after the 2007 movement for independence of the judiciary.

He also stated that the former prime minister Imran Khan was incarcerated with over 250 party workers and asserted that the majority of the people in the country were with the jailed leader.

Senior lawyer Abid Zuberi, who was also a former president of the SCBA, claimed that the Supreme Court would be wrapped up after the 28th Amendment and the current chief justice of SC will be the last chief justice.Ahmed Kurd highlighted the sacrifices rendered by the legal fraternity across the century after the 2007 movement for independence of the judiciary.

He also stated that the former prime minister Imran Khan was incarcerated with over 250 party workers and asserted that the majority of the people in the country were with the jailed leader.

Senior lawyer Abid Zuberi, who was also a former president of the SCBA, claimed that the Supreme Court would be wrapped up after the 28th Amendment and the current chief justice of SC will be the last chief justice.

After the upcoming constitutional amendment, the higher and superior judiciary would be turned into constitutional courts, he maintained.

Former Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) president Rabia Bajwa slammed the transfer of high court judges and said that a judge of Lahore High Court was made chief justice of Islamabad High Court as the judges of IHC had exposed the intervention in the judicial system.

Now, more judges of the IHC are likely to be transferred to other high courts while the Chief Justice Yahya Afridi also took a stand on the subject matter.

SHCBA President Haseeb Jamali, member Sindh Bar Council Haq Nawaz Talpur, former secretary general LHCB Raja Jawad Iqbal and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026