ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) firmly rejected what it described as a “baseless” statement from United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who had expressed concerns over Pakistan’s recently passed 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The UN rights chief said the amendment, like the 26th Amendment passed last year, had been approved without broad consultation or meaningful debate with the legal community and civil society.
He warned that the “hastily adopted” changes could weaken judicial independence and raise questions about military accountability.
In this regard, the FO issued a detailed press release, stressing that Pakistan “rejects the ungrounded and misplaced apprehensions” voiced by the UN human rights chief.
It noted that the amendment had been adopted with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, reflecting the will of Pakistan’s elected representatives.
“Like all parliamentary democracies, all legislation as well as any amendment to the Constitution remain the exclusive domain of the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan,” the FO stated.
It added that democratic practices and parliamentary procedures form “the bedrock of civil and political rights” and must be respected by all international partners.
Furthermore, the FO further emphasised that the constitutional process followed by Parliament adhered strictly to the procedures laid out in the country’s Constitution.
It confirmed that Pakistan’s commitment to “protecting, promoting and upholding human rights, human dignity, basic freedoms and the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, by acknowledging the importance of the work carried out by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the FO expressed disappointment that Pakistan’s perspective and domestic context were “not reflected” in the UN statement.
It urged the High Commissioner to “respect the sovereign decisions of Pakistan’s parliament and avoid commentary that reflects political bias and misinformation.”
The 27th Amendment, passed earlier this month, has stirred significant debate within Pakistan. Key concerns raised by critics include the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court to oversee constitutional matters and amendments to Article 243 that designate the army chief as the Chief of Defence Forces, placing the officeholder above all branches of the armed services.
