FAISALABAD (MNN); Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Sunday that the ruling coalition was prepared to bring another constitutional amendment if required to preserve political stability in the country.
His statement comes just three days after the 27th Constitutional Amendment became law following its approval by both houses of Parliament, despite strong opposition protests.
Chaudhry reiterated that both the 26th and 27th Amendments had contributed to stability. He added that if further measures were needed, the government and its allied parties would move forward collectively.
Addressing reporters in Faisalabad, the PML-N leader stressed that Parliament had full authority to amend the Constitution and should continue exercising that power whenever necessary.
Commenting on the recent resignations of senior judges, Chaudhry described them as political decisions. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah resigned on November 13, the day the 27th Amendment came into force, calling the legislation an attack on the Constitution and harmful to judicial independence.
A day later, Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of the Lahore High Court also stepped down, citing the same reason, while reports suggest more departures may follow at the Islamabad High Court.
Chaudhry asserted that judges take oath under the Constitution and are not a political group that resigns whenever amendments occur. He said constitutional authority lies with Parliament and the people of Pakistan, not individual judges. He added that everything from the judges’ salaries to their powers was determined by Parliament.
The minister also accused the judges who resigned of being biased and delivering politically influenced rulings. Referring to former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial’s “good to see you” remark to Imran Khan in 2023, Chaudhry noted that the environment had changed and such judicial conduct was no longer acceptable.
He criticised the frequent use of suo motu powers by some judges, saying they had used them to remove prime ministers and challenge the government unnecessarily. These powers have now been withdrawn under the 27th Amendment.
Commenting on the PTI’s decision to boycott the upcoming Faisalabad by-elections, Chaudhry said the party avoids contests where it expects strong competition. By-elections for two National Assembly constituencies (NA-96, NA-104) and three Punjab Assembly seats (PP-98, PP-115, PP-116) will be held on November 23. With PTI’s boycott, TLP’s inability to contest due to its recent ban, and the PPP not fielding candidates, the PML-N is expected to secure all five seats.
