27th Amendment Protest: TTAP Marches for Judicial Independence
The 27th Amendment protest gained momentum on Tuesday as the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) marched from Parliament House to the Supreme Court. The groups gathered to voice their concerns about the new legislation. They also urged the government to respect constitutional boundaries. In addition, they called for wider public support.
The amendment became law on November 13. It sparked strong criticism from opposition parties soon after. Many lawyers, former judges, and even some serving judges described the changes as an attack on judicial independence.
The TTAP had promised a strong response during its last meeting on Friday. As a result, party members reached Parliament House early in the day. They later began their march toward the Supreme Court along Constitution Avenue.
Voices on the Frontline
Several senior leaders led the demonstration. They included TTAP Vice Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. Visuals shared on social media showed them walking at the front of the crowd. Protesters chanted that their struggle for judicial independence would continue.
Many participants held banners demanding democracy and rejecting the 27th Amendment. They repeated lines from Habib Jalib’s poetry, which also echoed during recent parliamentary sessions. Leaders such as Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, Asad Qaiser, and others joined the protest to show unity. Several PTI lawmakers and lawyers participated as well.
Future Plans and Nationwide Actions
Achakzai later spoke to the media. He announced a national conference on the amendment, inviting judges, lawyers, experts, and journalists. He also declared that TTAP will observe a countrywide Black Day on Friday, November 21.
He repeated TTAP’s concerns about lifetime immunities granted to top offices. According to him, no one should stand above accountability. He added that even a full parliamentary mandate cannot alter the core principle of civilian supremacy. He argued that all institutions must function independently but remain answerable to the elected parliament.
