ISLAMABAD - Senior lawyer Hamid Khan, along with other lawyer activists, on Monday rejected the government’s proposed constitutional package and amendments, calling them unconstitutional.
During a press conference outside the Supreme Court, he announced the launch of a lawyers’ movement starting from a Lawyers Convention at Lahore High Court on September 19th.
“We reject the constitutional package. The drama running in this country for the last few days is the worst we’ve seen. They’ll have to walk over our dead bodies to pass this package from the illegitimate form 47 parliament,” Hamid Khan declared.
He stressed that the Supreme Court and High Courts are the only legitimate constitutional bodies and rejected the idea of a Federal Constitutional Court parallel to the Supreme Court. He called on lawyers, or “black coats,” to gather in Lahore on September 19th and initiate a movement against the amendments.
Hamid Khan also demanded that the government announce Justice Mansoor Ali Shah as the next Chief Justice of Pakistan, effective from October 26th, rejecting any other appointment. He warned those supporting the amendments not to underestimate the unity and power of the legal community.
Lawyer activist Ikram Chaudhry added that the proposed amendments are part of a conspiracy by the establishment, civil bureaucracy, and corrupt politicians to undermine constitutional supremacy. He urged the judiciary to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.
Rabia Bano, vice president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, criticized General Asim Munir, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and the current government for supporting the amendments, calling them illegitimate.
Lawyer activist Shokat Hayat reiterated the demand for Justice Mansoor Ali Shah’s appointment as the next Chief Justice, citing the protection of this succession under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The press conference concluded with lawyer Ghulam Mustafa Kanjwal stating that the lawyers of Pakistan will stand firm against the constitutional package, just as they did against the Legal Framework Order (LFO) and General Musharraf’s rule in 2007.