Supreme Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah resigned on Thursday, only hours after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment. His resignation came alongside that of Justice Athar Minallah, marking one of the most significant moments in Pakistan’s recent judicial history.
In his resignation letter to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, Mansoor Ali Shah requested an urgent full court meeting and a judicial conference. He said such discussions were necessary to review the far-reaching effects of the amendment on the country’s judicial structure.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah wrote that he could not continue serving in a court that, in his view, had been deprived of its constitutional role. He stated that the Supreme Court had been responsible for safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens, but the amendment had altered that position.
“Today, I am asked to serve in a court stripped of its constitutional jurisdiction,” he wrote. “That is not the court I joined, nor the judicial life I chose.”
Justice Athar Minallah also submitted his resignation, addressing it directly to the president. He reflected on his oath taken 11 years ago, noting that he had vowed to defend “the Constitution” in its true spirit. He said the amendment had undermined the constitutional framework he had promised to protect.
Minallah added that he had previously written to the Chief Justice expressing his concerns before the amendment was passed. Those concerns, he said, had now become reality due to what he described as “selective silence and inaction.”
The resignations of the two senior judges have intensified debate over the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which has introduced major changes to the country’s judicial setup. Legal experts say the situation has raised important questions about judicial independence and the future role of the Supreme Court.
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Both judges urged the judiciary to openly discuss the implications of the amendment, stressing the need for collective action at a critical moment for Pakistan’s constitutional system.
