ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A coalition of opposition parties in Pakistan has pledged to launch nationwide protests demanding the restoration of the country’s Constitution to its original form after the government approved two highly contested amendments. The Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) alliance said Friday that next week will be observed as a “Black Day” in response to the changes.
The announcement came hours after President Asif Ali Zardari signed the 27th Constitutional Amendment into law on Thursday. Both the 26th and 27th Amendments have sparked fierce criticism from opposition leaders, legal experts, and civil society groups.
In a statement shared on X, TTAP said an emergency meeting was held at the home of Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas. Senior leaders from across the political spectrum attended, including PTI Chairman Barrister Ali Gohar, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, and PkMAP Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai, according to Dawn.
Participants chanted slogans against what they called a “post-amendment Constitution” and condemned what they described as dictatorial measures. They also voiced support for PTI founder Imran Khan and broader democratic principles.
In its press release, TTAP said the amendments undermine the foundational structure of Pakistan’s Constitution and represent an attack on the judiciary, which it described as a core pillar of democracy. It said the changes “destroyed the basic structure of the Constitution” by introducing person-specific alterations that weaken judicial independence.
The alliance rejected both amendments and demanded full restoration of the Constitution. “These controversial constitutional amendments have completely destroyed the judiciary and limited the authority and existence of the Supreme Court,” the statement said.
Earlier Friday, Justice Aminuddin Khan was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of Pakistan’s newly created Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). President Zardari administered the oath in a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Khan’s appointment, made under Article 175A(3) read with Article 175C of the Constitution, took effect immediately.
The FCC’s establishment — revived under the 27th Amendment — is intended to ease the Supreme Court’s workload by handling constitutional cases and strengthening judicial independence and efficiency, according to government officials. (Source: IANS)
