Restructuring Pakistan's Judiciary: Has Judicial Efficiency of Courts Improved?

Pakistan's judicial system has undergone its most significant restructuring in decades. The 26th Amendment reorganized the Judicial Commission of Pakistan to boost parliamentary representation, curbed the courts' suo motu powers, ended seniority-based Chief Justice appointments, and created constitutional benches within the Supreme Court and High Courts. The 27th Amendment then went a step further, establishing an independent Federal Constitutional Court to handle all constitutional matters, effectively replacing the constitutional bench system altogether. This raises a fundamental question: have these reforms strengthened judicial efficiency and modernized Pakistan's institutions, or have they come at the cost of judicial independence? Critics warn that changes to the JCP's composition and the creation of the FCC risk weakening the courts, while supporters frame them as necessary institutional modernization. In this webinar, CLAS takes stock of the 26th and 27th Amendments' implementation over the past year — examining the establishment and functioning of the Federal Constitutional Court, changes to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, and the broader effects on Pakistan's constitutional order. Guest Speakers: Barrister Asim Muzaffar Khan (Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, Senior Partner at MAKC Legal) Advocate Asad Ullah Taimur (Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, founder of Asad Taimur & Co. LLP) Moderator: Mr Rehman Azhar (Executive Director, CLAS) Host: Eesha Fatima (Research Associate, CLAS) #CentreforLawandSecurity #CLAS #Pakistan #India #Talks #Economy #Business #ThinkTank #Videos #Podcast #CurrentAffairs #GlobalPolitics #PakistanPolitics #News #headlines #explore #Education #Knowledge #Trending #webinar #whatshappening #foreignpolicy #diplomacy #History