Why Pakistan’s lawyers are rejecting Asim Munir’s sweeping powers under 26th and 27th amendments

Lawyers reject Munir’s sweeping powers

Lawyers from across Pakistan have strongly condemned the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments, rejecting the expanded powers granted to Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and calling for a renewed commitment to the supremacy of the Constitution and judicial independence, Dawn reported.

The convention, held on Saturday and jointly organised by the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and Lahore Bar Association (LBA), concluded with a resolution denouncing what participants described as “assaults on democracy, the rule of law, and the judiciary,” according to Dawn. Led by Senator Hamid Khan, the professional bodies stated that the amendments “defaced the constitution” and “destroyed the institution of the judiciary in Pakistan.”

The 27th amendment, in particular, alarmed lawyers and legal experts for granting the army chief sweeping authority over all military branches while providing lifelong immunity to both him and the President from prosecution.

The 26th amendment alters the structure and functioning of Pakistan’s Supreme Court and High Courts.

The convention also rejected the proposed Federal Constitutional Court, describing it as an “unconstitutional court” and a “murder” of judicial integrity. Lawyers criticised a press briefing by the ISPR Director General on December 5 for targeting political leaders, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, calling it a “shameful attempt to drag the armed forces into politics and unbecoming of a military general.”

The resolution demanded the immediate release of detained political leaders and the recovery of missing persons, citing names such as Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Maharang Baloch, and Yasmin Rashid, allegedly held on false charges. It also called for future bar council elections, including those of the Supreme Court Bar Association, to be held via biometric verification to prevent manipulation, and condemned the Punjab Protection of Property Ordinance 2025 as unconstitutional.

Prominent speakers at the convention included Senator Hamid Khan, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Ali Ahmad Kurd, LHCBA President Asif Nissoana, LBA President Mubashir Rehman, and Mahmood Ashraf. The collective stance of Pakistan’s legal fraternity signals widespread rejection of Munir’s enhanced authority and a defence of democratic and judicial safeguards.