Lahore High Court judge resigns over amendments' effect on judiciary

A Lahore High Court judge, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, resigned on Wednesday, saying the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments had compromised judicial independence and left the executive in direct control of how judges are appointed and transferred.

The resignation was forwarded to President Asif Ali Zardari. ARY News, which first reported the development on Wednesday morning, said the letter stated that the two amendments had severely affected ordinary citizens and that the executive administration now directly controls judicial appointments and transfers.

According to the same report, Justice Kiyani wrote that political interference had undermined public trust in the judiciary.

"Under these circumstances, my conscience does not allow me to continue serving as a judge," the letter said, according to ARY News, adding: "I feel the time has come for me to step down."

The judge said that leaving the bench did not change his position on the Constitution, and that he remained committed to upholding the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

Arab News PK, which also reported the resignation, described the letter as citing the executive's "growing control" over judicial institutions.

ARY News quoted only parts of the letter and did not set out which provisions of the two amendments the judge objected to. Neither report carried comment from the President's office, the law ministry or the Lahore High Court, and neither said whether the resignation had been accepted.

In Pakistan, a high court judge addresses a resignation to the President. The Lahore High Court, headquartered in Lahore, is one of the country's largest superior courts.

The contents of the letter are known from the ARY News report, which quoted it in part; a full copy was not published. The reports did not say whether any other judge had raised similar objections, or how the cases on Justice Kiyani's docket would be redistributed.