ISLAMABAD: Two senior judges of Pakistan’s Supreme Court — Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah — have tendered their resignations after the recently enacted 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Justice Athar Minallah’s resignation letter, submitted to President Asif Ali Zardari on November 13, 2025, over the recent amendments to the country’s Constitution. He reflects on his decade-long service in the judiciary, noting that his oath was not to a person or office but to the Constitution itself.
Justice Minallah wrote that he could no longer continue in his role as judge of the country’s apex court.
Similarly, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, in his resignation, stated that he is resigning as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The 27th Amendment, passed with a two-thirds majority in Parliament and signed into law by the President, alters the composition and powers of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.
The Supreme Court administration confirmed receipt of both resignation letters, which have been forwarded to the Presidency for formal acceptance.
Earlier today, President Zardari signed the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill into law, following its approval by both houses of the country’s Parliament.
Today, Pakistan’s Senate passed the Amendment Bill, completing one of the most significant institutional reforms in decades.
The Bill passed by the National Assembly on Wednesday was returned to the Senate for approval of the supplementary amendments.
Today’s passage formalises changes to the military’s command structure and the judiciary, drawing support from the government and sharp criticism from opposition parties and some legal experts.
The amendment elevates the role of the military chief by creating a new position of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) to oversee all branches of the armed forces, replacing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
It also granted legal immunity to the office of Field Marshal post-term. These changes are made by amending Article 243 of the Constitution.
At the same time, the amendment reorganises the judicial framework by creating a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) to handle constitutional cases, a responsibility that previously rested with the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench.
