FEAR was the main reason behind the passage of the 26th Amendment. Fear that the Supreme Court would somehow free jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and even go as far as to annul the last election in which, many believed, the will of the people at the ballot box may not have reflected in the final result. The 27th Amendment takes that thought to its logical conclusion.
The move gives constitutional cover to what the defence minister has called a ‘hybrid’ system and also acknowledges and institutionalises the senior partner’s lead role which will extend beyond the term in office of the junior, civilian partner.
When critics say the superior courts will now be under the executive’s influence, even control, they mean that given the balance of powers between the civilian and the uniformed, parts of the courts will now find themselves in the vice-like grip of the establishmen
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