ON April 28, we witnessed a judicial disaster, with the roll-out effect of the 26th and 27th Amendments puncturing the judiciary’s independence yet again. Three judges were transferred from the Islamabad High Court to three other high courts. The justification offered was that their transfer would fill vacancies in those high courts — when in reality it would create vacancies in the IHC to appoint likeminded judges in the capital area.

Playing politics with the judicial system is a reprehensible practice. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) met to discuss the transfers, because its members called a meeting — in spite of the refusal of the chief justice of Pakistan to convene it. The chief justice had stated that this was an intrusion upon judicial independence. Too little, too late. The meeting was held and the judges were transferred by a majority vote — a sad day for the judicial system and the people of Pakistan.

The 26th and 27th Amendments were aimed at making the judiciary subservient to the executive. The JCP’s composition was altered, so that the executive, through parliament, got a majority. The choice of judges would be made through a vote within the JCP rather than on........

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