Two Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, have objected to the Supreme Judicial Council’s (SJC) recent amendments to the judges’ code of conduct.
In a letter to SJC Chairman Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, they questioned the approval process and inclusion of IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, whose transfer is under Supreme Court challenge.
The October 18, 2025, SJC meeting, chaired by CJ Afridi, approved changes prohibiting judges from media interactions or public debate on political issues. The code states: “Judges shall not interact with the media, especially on issues that may provoke public debate or affect institutional collegiality.”
🚨🚨#BREAKING: In 12 pages explosive comments of #JusticeMansoorAliShah and #JusticeMunibAkhtar on amended code of conduct of superior court, both judges completely exposes their Chief Justice Yahya Afridi in a brutal manner: 1/3
UNCENSORED complete details with @zulspeaks on… pic.twitter.com/Da52NKexqn
— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) October 21, 2025The judges warned that the amendments threaten judicial independence amid the strain of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. “A strong, fearless judiciary is the people’s last refuge. Measures silencing judges must be resisted,” they wrote. They urged postponing changes until the Supreme Court decides related petitions.
3/3 pic.twitter.com/hNkxUlb3r6
— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) October 21, 2025The judges emphasised that centralisation of authority within the judiciary could make the institution “more fragile, not stronger,” particularly during periods of political and institutional pressure.
“Judicial independence cannot rest on the perceived virtue or courage of one person; it must be distributed, not centralised,” the letter concluded.
The objections highlight ongoing divisions within the judiciary regarding institutional reforms and the balance between accountability and independence. Legal analysts view the move as part of a broader debate over judicial transparency, autonomy, and constitutional governance in Pakistan.
