Pakistan's 26th Amendment Sparks Judicial Independence Debate

The 26th Constitutional Amendment in Pakistan, passed by both houses of Parliament, aims to abolish interest by 2028 and strengthen Islamic finance. It empowers a parliamentary committee to appoint the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court with a term of three years, sparking debate over potential impacts on judicial independence. While government officials, including Senator Sherry Rehman, support it for enhancing democracy and judicial reforms, opposition figures, like JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, reject it as dubious and potentially unconstitutional. Critics view the changes as an attempt by the government to control the judiciary, particularly amid former Prime Minister Imran Khan's legal challenges. The amendment, which received unanimous support from the ruling coalition, now awaits presidential assent.