As the ruling coalition government works to secure the necessary support for its planned constitutional amendments, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has written to the United Nations, warning that these proposed changes could threaten judicial independence and human rights in Pakistan, The News reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, which cited doughtystreet.com.uk, Khan has filed an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, through his legal representatives Edward Fitzgerald KC, Tatyana Eatwell, and Jennifer Robinson. Khan’s family had instructed these lawyers to engage with the UN and lead international advocacy on his behalf.
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This is not the first time the imprisoned ex-premier has reached out to an international body regarding domestic political issues. Previously, he had contacted the International Monetary Fund (IMF), urging the organization to audit the February 8 elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging, before approving any further loans for Pakistan. That move drew sharp criticism from the current government, with ministers accusing Khan of jeopardizing the country’s economic stability for political gain.
The proposed constitutional amendments, which include extending the retirement age of judges and forming a constitutional court, have been fiercely opposed by Khan and his party. Initially scheduled to be introduced last month, the amendments were delayed when the government failed to secure the two-thirds majority required for such legislation in both houses of parliament.
In his appeal to the UN, Khan voiced serious concerns over the proposed 26th Constitutional Amendment, warning that it poses a significant threat to the rule of law and the fundamental rights of the Pakistani people, including his own supporters. The appeal also urged the UN Special Rapporteur to issue an urgent communication to Islamabad regarding the matter.
Khan’s legal team—Fitzgerald KC, Eatwell, and Robinson—argued that the amendments are designed to limit the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction and would reinforce impunity for human rights violations. “The proposed amendments are clearly aimed at undermining the powers of the Supreme Court at a time when the judiciary in Pakistan is already under threat,” the lawyers said, adding that judges have faced intimidation and coercion in high-profile cases. They also warned of a “rapid decline in the rule of law” as Khan, PTI members, and supporters continue to face numerous legal challenges.
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Khan’s letter appears to be an effort to prevent the passage of the constitutional package, as President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif met with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday to secure his backing for the legislation. The ruling coalition is currently short of 13 votes in the National Assembly and nine votes in the Senate to pass the amendments.
This meeting followed comments from PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui last week, indicating that the government had revised the amendments in accordance with Fazl’s demands.