Justice Yahya Afridi. Photo: SC website
At a plenary meeting of the Supreme Court of Pakistan chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, the Court unanimously approved the amendments to the Supreme Court Rules, 2025 based on the recommendations of a specially constituted committee, the Supreme Court said in an official statement.
The meeting was held in Islamabad on Friday and the court formally adopted the updated rules. The Supreme Court emphasized that the changes will facilitate better service delivery and make justice more accessible and faster.
The committee, formed under Order I, Rule 1 (4) of the Supreme Court Rules, 2025, included Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi. Its mandate was to address difficulties encountered during the implementation of the rules.
The court individually appreciated each member of the committee for their diligent efforts, which included detailed review of the Supreme Court Rules, 1980, preparation of the draft Supreme Court Rules, 2025, and consideration of suggestions to resolve the challenges posed by the rules.
Read: President Zardari signs 27th constitutional amendment
According to the statement, the updates to the Supreme Court Rules 2025 aim to improve service delivery and ensure affordable and speedy justice.
Further, the court unanimously approved granting the status of Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court to Muhammad Munir Pracha, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, under Order IV, Rule 5 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2025.
But ironically, despite letters written by senior Supreme Court judges, including Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah – who resigned a day earlier and had sought a full remand to the court on the 27th Amendment – the court refrained from any mention of the recently passed amendment, which has now become law with the president’s signature.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment
The 27th Constitutional Amendment includes the introduction of a Federal Constitutional Court, which has original jurisdiction over constitutional disputes between the government and cases relating to respect for fundamental rights. Petitions or appeals pending before the Supreme Court or its constitutional chambers within this jurisdiction shall be transferred to this court.
The amendment also abolishes the suo motu powers of the SC and deletes Articles 184, 186 and 191A. The bill also authorizes the president to move a judge from one high court to another based on a recommendation from the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the body that oversees appointments to the country’s higher judiciary.
The new amendment has sparked widespread concern within the judicial and legal community, with critics saying it undermines the independence of the Supreme Court. The controversy has prompted letters from sitting judges, petitions from senior lawyers and coordinated protests from the bar associations, underscoring the deep apprehension over the potential shift in the balance of power between the judiciary and the executive.
Justice Mansoor had urged CJP Afridi to engage the executive regarding the proposed 27th amendment. Similarly, Justice Minallah also suggested CJP Afridi to convene a judicial convention. These two judges resigned in protest on Thursday, after the adoption of the 27th amendment by Parliament.
