Lawyers Gear Up for Long March Against 27th Constitutional Amendment in December

Lahore: Lawyers across Pakistan have announced a decisive struggle against the 27th Constitutional Amendment, terming it unconstitutional and a threat to judicial independence, with plans for a long march toward Islamabad in December 2025.

Speaking at a key meeting of the All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee held at the Javed Iqbal Auditorium of the Lahore High Court Bar, President of the Lahore High Court Bar, Malik Asif Nuswana, said the march could commence from Lahore and Karachi. Senior lawyers, including Manir A. Malik, former Supreme Court Bar President Iftikhar Ahsan, Hamid Khan, Latif Khosa, Ashtiaq Ahmed Khan, Shafqat Mehmood Chauhan, and former Lahore High Court Justice (R) Shahid Jamil, participated in the session.

The meeting outlined a resistance strategy against the amendment, deciding that every Thursday, except for urgent cases, there will be a full judicial boycott. Protest rallies will follow general bar house meetings, and lawyers’ conventions will be held in Lahore and Karachi to finalize the action plan.

Malik Asif Nuswana emphasized that the movement is not just for lawyers but also for judges, as the 27th Amendment primarily undermines their authority. He expressed hope that judges would support the strike. Major bar associations, including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta, have agreed that the amendment should be repealed immediately.

Senior leadership, including Iftikhar Ahsan, Hamid Khan, Latif Khosa, and Manir A. Malik, has pledged to lead a large, organized, and peaceful lawyers’ movement. Consultations are also ongoing regarding potential boycotts of constitutional courts, which will be decided in coordination with all bar associations.

Lawyers’ leadership stated that the 27th Amendment poses a threat to judicial independence, transparent appointments, and the supremacy of the Constitution, and it will not be accepted under any circumstances. Final schedules and the long march date will be announced after upcoming lawyers’ conventions.