Berlin, January 30 – Experts and human rights advocates in Germany’s capital have raised serious concerns over Pakistan’s newly passed 27th Constitutional Amendment. They warn it will erode judicial independence while bolstering executive power, leaving vulnerable populations even more exposed to abuses.
In a heated discussion organized in Berlin, political analyst Rafiullah Kakar and Abdullah Abbas, executive director of the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, dissected the amendment’s implications. Moderated by former BBC correspondent Sahr Baloch, the event highlighted Balochistan’s precarious situation.
Abbas delivered a stark assessment, noting that the amendment’s most devastating impact will unfold in Balochistan, a province plagued by documented cases of enforced disappearances and staged encounters. ‘This law applies nationwide, but Balochistan stands apart,’ he stated. ‘Years of dehumanizing dissent and state-sponsored narratives have enabled grave violations, often justifying them.’
He emphasized that constitutional protections in Balochistan are virtually nonexistent. The amendment, Abbas argued, extinguishes the last flickers of hope for legal recourse. Recent tweaks to Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, he claimed, effectively legitimize forced disappearances. Drawing a chilling parallel, Abbas compared the measures to China’s treatment of Uyghurs, labeling it ‘the institutionalization of repression.’
Kakar focused on structural shifts, explaining how the amendment fundamentally alters the judiciary-executive dynamic. Courts will now face severe limitations in reviewing or challenging executive decisions, tilting power decisively toward the government.
As Pakistan grapples with internal strife, this development signals deeper entrenchment of authoritarian tendencies, particularly in restive regions like Balochistan. Rights groups urge international attention to prevent further erosion of the rule of law.