Justice Mirza Quits Amid 27th Amendment Controversy

News Desk

Lahore: Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza has resigned from his position as a judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) citing “personal reasons,” sources confirmed on Saturday.

According to insiders, Justice Mirza submitted his resignation to President Asif Ali Zardari. He was ranked fifth in seniority at the LHC and also served as a member of its administration committee. Appointed as an additional judge in 2014, his superannuation was scheduled for March 6, 2028.

The resignation comes just two days after the National Assembly passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which introduced changes to the judicial structure and military command. 

The amendment fine-tunes the framework of the newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), clarifies the ranking and titles of top judges, and removes several clauses from the Senate-approved draft that had proposed changes to oath-related provisions for constitutional offices.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/27th-amendment-triggers-major-judicial-rift-in-pakistan/

Justice Mirza’s decision follows the earlier resignations of Supreme Court judges Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, who had criticised the 27th Amendment in strongly worded letters. 

Justice Shah described the amendment as a “grave assault on the Constitution,” stating that it compromises judicial independence, weakens constitutional democracy, and places the judiciary under executive influence. Justice Minallah similarly rejected the amendment, asserting that the Constitution “no longer exists” in its intended spirit.

The federal government, however, dismissed the resignations as “political speeches” and deemed the judges’ allegations “unconstitutional.” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah called the jurists respectable but accused them of pursuing a “political and self-serving” agenda.

The development marks another significant moment in Pakistan’s judiciary, highlighting ongoing tensions over the 27th Amendment and the independence of the courts.