PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Says New Legislation Abolished CJP’s Office And Undermined SC’s Independence
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The opposition alliance announced a nationwide political movement from Friday against the 27th constitutional amendment, promising to restore the powers of the judiciary and the office of the chief justice, which they claim have been curtailed by the amendment.
Speaking to the media after the National Assembly passed the amendment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the new legislation has degraded the judiciary and undermined the independence of the Supreme Court.
“The office of the Chief Justice has been abolished – we will restore it,” advocate Gohar declared. “We will restore the dignity and powers of the judiciary,” he added, arguing that while judicial reforms may be necessary, the government’s current approach to judges was “unacceptable.”
The PTI chairman maintained that his party had raised objections during the parliamentary session and warned that the amendment was against the spirit of the constitution. “We pointed out in the assembly that the office of chief justice has been abolished,” he said. “This is a direct attack on the independence of the judiciary.”
Flanked by lawyer Gohar, Mahmood Khan Achakzai announced that the opposition’s protest campaign would begin from Friday. He stressed that the movement would remain peaceful and that its aim was to restore the people’s mandate, which he said had been “stolen”.
Read more: After the Senate, the 27th Amendment sails through the National Assembly with a two-thirds majority
Achakzai said the campaign would combine domestic demonstrations with diplomatic outreach. “We will protest and we will not even throw a stone,” he vowed. “We will also write to foreign envoys urging them to reconsider or terminate any agreements made with the current government.”
Highlighting the country’s deteriorating economic situation, Achakzai cited a United Nations report that claims 45 percent of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line. “This government has failed to deal with the economic crisis,” he said, questioning the timing of the parliamentary hearing. “Would the sky fall if they adjourned the session today?” he asked.
He further claimed that “powerful external actors” were trying to destabilize Pakistan and push it towards conflict. “The dangerous countries of the world want to make us fight,” he warned. “We must stop the road to war.” Achakzai emphasized that the Constitution must remain supreme and that Parliament should serve as the ultimate source of power in the country.
The opposition leader also reaffirmed his position on provincial autonomy, insisting that a province should have the first right over its natural resources. He said the alliance was ready for dialogue with the government, but that any negotiations would focus on restoring the opposition’s mandate.
Achakzai turned his attention to the judiciary, appealing to judges to step in and resolve the crisis “with the stroke of a pen.” He warned the authorities that the opposition would continue to increase pressure if their demands were ignored.
Concluding his remarks, he reiterated that the protests would remain peaceful, combining domestic mobilization with international advocacy. “We are ready for negotiations, but our position is clear – the constitution must prevail and the people’s mandate must be respected,” he said.
