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President Zardari Accepts Resignations of SC Judges Mansoor Ali Shah, Athar Minallah
President Asif Ali Zardari accepts resignations of Supreme Court judges Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, who resigned over the 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it a “grave assault on the Constitution.”
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-14
President Zardari Accepts Resignations of SC Judges Mansoor Ali Shah, Athar Minallah

President Asif Ali Zardari has formally accepted the resignations of Supreme Court judges Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, the President’s official X account confirmed on Friday.

The two judges tendered their resignations on Thursday, hours after the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment was signed into law. Both described the legislation as a direct affront to the judiciary and the 1973 Constitution.

In his 13-page resignation letter, Justice Shah wrote, “I therefore resign as the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in full awareness of the reasons that compel it and in loyalty to the Constitution that has guided every step of my judicial life.” He described the amendment as a “grave assault on the Constitution,” asserting that it dismantled the Supreme Court, subjugated the judiciary to executive control, and struck at “the very heart of our constitutional democracy.” He added that justice had become “more distant, more fragile and more vulnerable to power.”

Justice Minallah, in his resignation, lamented that the Constitution he had sworn to uphold “is no more,” calling the amendment an assault on its memory and integrity. Both judges had previously requested a full court meeting to examine the amendment, which ultimately did not take place.

Following the resignations, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticized the judges, claiming their “consciences only awakened after their monopoly was curtailed.”

The resignations mark a historic moment in Pakistan’s judiciary, reflecting growing tensions over the 27th Constitutional Amendment and its implications for judicial independence.
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PakistanSupremeCourt

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AtharMinallah

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