Out -and -eight human rights activists and members of civil society from all over Pakistan have submitted a petition in the Supreme Court and challenged the validity and constitution of the 26th amendment that was bulldozed through parliament last October.

As a group, these petitioners represent almost all religions, sects and ethnic groups and come from all genders, age groups, socio -economic classes and provinces in Pakistan. They include trade unionists, bound work and peasant representatives, students’ leaders, grassroots activists and advocates of civilian and political freedoms, gender equality, equal citizenship and a free press.

While several petitions have been submitted against the 26th amendment, the purpose of this civil society -led petition is to reflect the concerns of those who will be most influenced by the amendment.

It is categorical not a partisan and focuses entirely on the assumption that the 26th amendment is a targeted attack on people’s fundamental rights and on the country’s democratic structure.

The petition claims that the 26th change was adopted through abuse of power and gross violation of proper process; That it attacks the nature of the social contract between the people and the state by effectively undoing the state’s third pillar – a free and independent judiciary. The petition claims that the 26th amendment is destroying the independence of the judiciary.

Not only does it give it the executive and legislate a major role in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and in the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the high courts, but it also gives the executive and legislator a role in the decision of the composition of constitutional benches.

The petitioners claim that such poorly thoughtful and dramatic changes will have far -reaching consequences for democracy, as these measures are contrary to the principle of separation of power and removing critical supervision mechanisms that protect abuse of power from any single branch of the state from our constitution.