REFORMING THE JUDICIARY IN PAKISTAN Asia Report N°160 – 16 October 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................. i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. BACKGROUND................................................................................................................ 3 A. ISLAMISING THE POLITY ..............................................................................................................3 B. VALIDATING MILITARY INTERVENTIONS .....................................................................................3 C. DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION AND JUDICIAL REFORM......................................................................5 III. ISLAMISING THE LEGAL SYSTEM: INSTITUTIONALISED DISCRIMINATION.......................................................................................................... 6 A. THE BLASPHEMY LAW.................................................................................................................6 B. TARGETING AHMADIS..................................................................................................................8 C. WOMEN AND THE HUDOOD ORDINANCES ..................................................................................10 D. THE FEDERAL SHARIAT COURT .................................................................................................11 IV. RESTORING THE RULE OF LAW ............................................................................ 13 A. THE PENAL CODE: RESTORING FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.............................................................14 B. PRIORITISING THE DELIVERY OF JUSTICE ...................................................................................15 V. CONSOLIDATING DEMOCRACY............................................................................. 18 A. REVERSING MUSHARRAF’S LEGACY..........................................................................................18 1. Repealing the Seventeenth Amendment ....................................................................................18 2. Restoring the judges...................................................................................................................18 B. ASSESSING THE PPP’S CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PACKAGE.....................................................20 1. Judicial appointments.................................................................................................................20 2. Judicial accountability ...............................................................................................................22 3. Judicial activism.........................................................................................................................22 4. Ending the doctrine of necessity ................................................................................................23 C. THE ROLE OF THE BAR: REFOCUSING THE LAWYERS’ MOVEMENT ............................................24 D. THE INTERNATIONAL ROLE........................................................................................................26 1. An ideology beyond Pakistan’s borders.....................................................................................26 2. International engagement...........................................................................................................27 VI. CONCLUSION................................................................................................................ 29 APPENDICES A. MAP OF PAKISTAN ...........................................................................................................................31 B. ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP ....................................................................................32 C. CRISIS GROUP REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS ON ASIA............................................................................33 D. CRISIS GROUP BOARD OF TRUSTEES................................................................................................36 Asia Report N°160 16 October 2008 REFORMING THE JUDICIARY IN PAKISTAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Pakistan’s return to civilian government after eight years the judicial arm of the state must live up to its respon- of military rule and the sidelining of the military’s sibility to protect and preserve the constitution. religious allies in the February 2008 elections offer an opportunity to restore the rule of law and to review Pakistan’s two largest national-level parties, the Pakistan and repeal discriminatory religious laws that restrict People’s Party (PPP), now in government, and the fundamental rights, fuel extremism and destabilise the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the main country. Judicial reforms would remove the legal cover opposition party, have pledged to undo the legacy of under which extremists target their rivals and exploit military rule. Upon assuming power in March, the PPP a culture of violence and impunity. Ensuring judicial and PML-N, then coalition partners, released scores independence would also strengthen the transition to of political detainees, including lawyers and judges democracy at a time when it is being undermined by arrested during Musharraf’s November 2007 martial worsening violence. law. They also lifted the military regime’s ban on labour and student unions, and committed to enforcing basic Laws that discriminate on the basis of religion and human rights. The coalition government has since un- gender, including the blasphemy law, anti-Ahmadi laws, ravelled, primarily over disagreements on mechanisms Hudood Ordinances and Qisas (retribution) and Diyat to restore over 50 higher court judges, including the (bloody money) law, are part of the legacy of military Supreme Court chief justice, illegally dismissed during rule. Given constitutional cover by military rulers and Musharraf’s emergency. Nevertheless, both parties legal sanction by superior courts unwilling to uphold remain committed to restoring constitutionalism, the fundamental freedoms, these laws have undermined rule of law and judicial independence. Their ability to the rule of law, encouraged vigilantism and embold- reach consensus on the necessary constitutional changes ened religious extremists. These extremists have used to remove the military’s political distortions will deter- them to advance a radical ideology of exclusion, cur- mine the future of the democratic transition. tail free expression and discriminate against women and religious and sectarian minorities. Before the coalition collapsed, during negotiations with the PML-N on restoring the judges, the PPP had put Motivated by self-preservation and self-interest, Paki- together a proposed constitutional package, aimed also stan’s superior judiciary has not just failed to oppose at generating a public and parliamentary debate on Islamic legislation that violates fundamental rights but constitutional reform. While the proposals included has also repeatedly failed to uphold the constitution. useful suggestions on strengthening parliament’s role While superior courts have validated military interven- and undoing the military’s constitutional manipulations, tions, military regimes have manipulated judicial some proposed measures could undermine democratic appointments, promotions and removals, steadily purg- reform, including judicial independence. ing higher court benches of independent-minded judges. This has pushed the judiciary further to the ideological The PPP should, after parliamentary debate and public right. Today, judicial independence is hampered not only consultation, particularly with the bar associations by the state but also by right-wing religious groups. that have played a lead role in fighting military rule, introduce a constitutional amendment package to restore If democratic functioning is to be truly restored, the democratic functioning and the rule of law. Aside military’s politically motivated constitutional and legal from reintroducing constitutionally sanctioned checks changes that have radicalised swathes of Pakistani and balances between the executive, legislature and society must be reversed. If the democratic transition judiciary, any such package should focus on judicial is to be sustained and strengthened, the freely elected reform. An independent, reformed judiciary will not government must respect judicial independence, and only help underpin constitutionalism and the rule of law but could also play a crucial role in preventing Reforming the Judiciary in Pakistan Crisis Group Asia Report N°160, 16 October 2008 Page ii another direct or indirect authoritarian intervention. The guided by the May 2006 Charter of Democracy, government’s democratic credentials and the country’s comprising the chief justice of the Supreme political stability would also be best served with the Court, as its chair; the next two most senior ruling and opposition parties reaching agreement in Supreme Court justices; the four provincial chief parliament on reversing state-driven Islamisation, justices; a member of the Pakistan Bar Council repealing the laws that empower Islamist radicals at (PBC), nominated by the PBC; the president of the cost of the moderate majority. the Supreme Court Bar Association (in matters related to the Supreme Court); and the four The international community should avail itself of the presidents of the High