Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Ali Amin Gandapur Threatens Nationwide Protests Over Chief Justice Appointment

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has issued a stern warning of nationwide protests. This will occur if the most senior judge of the Supreme Court is not appointed as the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader made this statement during a session at the Provincial Assembly.

Pakistan has recently enacted a law limiting the tenure of Chief Justices to three years. It also establishes a special commission to select the top judge from the three most senior Supreme Court judges. This move has faced opposition from Imran Khan's party, whose leader is currently imprisoned.

Judiciary Independence Concerns

Gandapur emphasised, "We will not allow anyone to make the judiciary of the country, a slave for their political gains." He expressed concerns about potential political interference in judicial appointments. His party is prepared to take to the streets if the government fails to appoint the senior-most judge as Chief Justice.

The chief minister criticised the government's new amendment, describing it as an "illegal appointment" process for selecting a new Chief Justice. His party is determined to prevent any such appointments under this amendment.

Impact of New Legislation

The 26th Constitution Amendment Bill has now become law, allowing the government to prevent Justice Masoor Ali Shah from succeeding the current Chief Justice, Qazi Faez Isa. Justice Isa is set to retire on October 25 upon reaching the age limit of 65 years.

This amendment halts the automatic elevation of the senior-most Supreme Court judge to Chief Justice after the current CJP retires. The change aims to introduce a more structured selection process for this crucial position.

As tensions rise over these judicial changes, Gandapur's statements highlight growing concerns about maintaining judicial independence in Pakistan. The situation remains tense as political and legal circles await further developments.