ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Jawwad S Khawaja has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Justice (Retd) Khawaja filed the petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, making the Federation of Pakistan and the Ministry of Law and Justice respondents.
In his petition, he argued that Parliament cannot curtail the constitutional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, nor can that jurisdiction be transferred to any other court or forum.
He maintained that abolishing or reducing the powers of the Supreme Court through the 27th Constitutional Amendment is unconstitutional.
The petition requested the court to declare null and void any constitutional amendment that diminishes the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.
He further urged the Supreme Court to affirm that it alone has the authority to determine the constitutionality of constitutional amendments, and that conferring such powers on any other court or forum is inconsistent with the Constitution.
Justice Khawaja also requested that provisions in the 27th Amendment related to the transfer of High Court judges be declared void and that implementation of the disputed parts of the amendment be suspended until the petition is decided.