Lawyers Action Committee announces referendum against 26th Constitutional Amendment

ISLAMABAD: The Lawyers Action Committee announced to hold a referendum against passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, deeming it a ‘threat’ to democracy and judicial independence, ARY News reported.

The Lawyers Action Committee, comprising prominent lawyers, held its meeting at the Supreme Court Bar Head Office, resolved to challenge the amendment through constitutional and legal means.

The Lawyers Action Committee also announced to hold a convention in Islamabad to mobilise support against the amendment

During a news conference following a meeting of lawyers, Munir A Malik declared, “We are discussing how the lawyers’ movement will progress, whether it will be slow or fast.” He said If we don’t hold this referendum, we will never know what the people and lawyers want.”

Munir A. Malik strongly opposed the 26th Amendment, claiming that it undermines the Constitution’s essential foundation. Speaking on the occasion, Ali Ahmed Kurd said that Munir A. Malik hasbeen elected as head of the Lawyers Action Committee.

He said that the slogan of their campaign against 26th Constitutional Amendment is ‘We will not back down’.

How CJP is appointed after 26th constitutional amendment?

The constitutional amendment to Article 175A paved the way for key changes to how judges are appointed, shifting more authority to a 12-member parliamentary committee – comprised of eight members from the National Assembly (NA) and four senators – to appoint the CJP, selecting from among the three most senior judges.

After amendment to clause 3 of Article 175A, the top judge is now appointed on the recommendation of the Special Parliamentary Committee from amongst the three most senior SC judges, rather than the president designating the most senior judge of the Supreme Court as the CJP.

After finalising the name,  the committee forwards the nominee’s name to the prime minister who is bound to forward the same to the president for final approval.