KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has dismissed a petition challenging the proposed 26th constitutional amendment.
During the hearing, SHC Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui questioned the grounds for the court’s involvement, given that the amendment has not yet been passed.
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The petition, filed by a group of lawyers, argued that the amendment posed a threat to public rights and the judiciary. However, Chief Justice Siddiqui noted that it is not possible to determine the legality of the amendment before it is enacted, adding that 240 million people have elected representatives in the Assembly to deliberate on such matters.
The petitioners’ counsel pointed out that the draft of the amendment had been presented in the Assembly and argued that it should first be reviewed by Bar Councils and Associations. The court, however, rejected this line of reasoning, with the Chief Justice asking under which law such a submission to lawyers’ bodies was required.
In response to the lawyer’s request to halt the federal cabinet from approving the draft, the Chief Justice reminded the court that it could not overrule a previous decision by the Supreme Court on such matters.
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Despite the lawyer’s insistence on public consultation, the court found no merit in the case and dismissed the petition.
The federal cabinet had earlier approved the draft amendment.