Islamabad, November 14, 2025: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday accepted the resignations of Supreme Court Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, a day after the contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment was passed by Parliament, deepening tensions between the judiciary and the government.
Both judges stepped down in protest on Thursday, warning that the amendment undermines judicial independence and fundamentally alters Pakistan’s constitutional architecture. The federal government dismissed their criticism as “political speeches” and termed their allegations “unconstitutional”.
In a detailed 13-page resignation letter, Justice Shah described the amendment as a “grave assault on the Constitution”, arguing it dismantles the authority of the Supreme Court, creates an executive-dominated Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) above it, and leaves the apex court “truncated and diminished”. He said the amendment was passed “without debate or consultation” and that continuing in office would make him a “silent spectator to a constitutional wrong”.
Justice Athar Minallah, in his letter, wrote that the Constitution he swore to defend “no longer exists” in its original spirit. He said he had warned the chief justice before the bill’s passage, but “silence and inaction” prevailed. Remaining in office, he said, would “betray my oath”.
The 27th Amendment reshapes Pakistan’s judicial system by refining the structure of the newly created FCC, altering the titles and hierarchy of top judges, and removing some earlier Senate-approved provisions related to oaths. It also introduces a proviso to Article 176, ensuring that the incumbent chief justice of Pakistan retains the title during his term, while a new clause defines the hierarchy between the FCC chief justice and the Supreme Court chief justice.
Responding to the judges’ letters, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the jurists remained “respectable” but accused them of pursuing a “self-serving political agenda”. He urged them to clarify their claim that the Supreme Court had been fractured.
Minister of State for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik termed the letters “unconstitutional”, asserting that Parliament’s authority to legislate cannot be challenged. He criticised what he called the political use of courts, underscoring that judicial decisions must follow law rather than personal views.
The twin resignations have triggered a fresh national debate on judicial independence, separation of powers, and the far-reaching consequences of the 27th Amendment for Pakistan’s constitutional order.
