Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has raised concerns about the recent formation of a new Ordinance Committee in a letter to the Practice and Procedure Committee. He pointed out that the previous committee could have continued its work despite the new ordinance, pending a full court review by the Chief Justice.
Justice Shah questioned the need to reconstitute the committee so soon after the ordinance was enacted, noting that no reason was given for the removal of Justice Muneeb Akhtar from the committee. He stated that he would not participate in any meetings unless the former committee was reinstated.
Emphasizing the importance of judicial transparency and independence, Justice Shah remarked that the Chief Justice had previously expressed reservations about the ordinance. He argued that a full court meeting should have been convened to discuss the ordinance’s implications, as its immediate implementation risks undermining the integrity and reputation of the judiciary.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the constitutionality of the new ordinance is questionable in light of a previous Supreme Court ruling, suggesting that moving forward with the committee’s work under these circumstances could harm the judiciary’s standing.
