Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, has formally withdrawn from special benches established under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023.
In a correspondence to Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who presides over the related committee, Justice Shah outlined his reservations about the constitutionality of recent legal modifications.
He referenced a previous letter from September 23, 2024, highlighting concerns he had raised which were omitted from the records of the 19th committee meeting.
Justice Shah stated he would abstain from joining any special benches under the new committee until a Full Court Bench reviews Ordinance No. VIII of 2024 or the prior committee structure is reinstated. He affirmed his commitment to hearing cases in regular benches to address the needs of ordinary litigants and uphold the public interest.
In his letter, Justice Shah underscored the critical role of personal conscience in fulfilling public duties, invoking a quote from Sir Thomas More in “A Man for All Seasons”: “I think that when statesmen forsake their private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.”
He also reminded his peers that the public and history would scrutinize their decisions.
This move by Justice Shah adds to the ongoing discourse regarding the constitutional integrity of the recent amendments and the structure of special benches in the Supreme Court.
