Pakistan judiciary under siege amid political interference
Pakistan’s judiciary is facing an existential crisis, its independence increasingly threatened by political interference, constitutional engineering, and retaliation from powerful institutions. A report by the Sri Lanka-based Daily Mirror highlights the perilous crossroads at which the judiciary stands, raising the question of whether the courts can remain guardians of the law or whether they will be reduced to mere instruments of control.
The crisis deepened after mass protests followed the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, with many PTI supporters subjected to military trials, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in October. However, this brief challenge to entrenched power was swiftly undone, as the military establishment responded with retaliatory measures.
In October 2024, the 26th Constitutional Amendment drastically restructured the judicial appointment system, consolidating political power over the judiciary. The amendments allowed the executive and legislature to dominate the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, undermining judicial independence and leading to the formation of a new Constitutional Bench tasked with handling constitutional matters.
The newly empowered Constitutional Bench made its mark in May 2025 by overturning the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, reinstating military trials for civilians under the Pakistan Army Act, citing national security concerns. This move has raised alarms about the judiciary becoming a shield for authoritarianism, legitimizing military control over civilian matters. The implications of these changes are profound, with critics warning that the judiciary’s ability to act as a check on state excesses is being eroded.
Pakistan’s legal system is now under siege, with the independence of the judiciary at stake. The battle for judicial autonomy could determine not just the future of the courts, but also the survival of democratic governance in the country.
