Government amends constitution, authorizing parliament to select Supreme Court chief justice, a move opposition parties and independent critics slam as infringement on judicial independence

A parliamentary committee has been established under the twenty-sixth constitutional amendment to nominate the new Chief Justice of Pakistan. The twelve-member committee includes eight National Assembly members and four senators.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Sunni-Ittehad Council (SIC) opposed the amendment, but six independent members who held their seats with the support of the PTI supported the bill.

Pakistan's government on Monday narrowly passed a package of constitutional amendments it said would stop the country's courts from issuing rulings that "interfere in parliament".