Strongmen and coup planners in Pakistan have historically relied on the legal system to give their extraconstitutional actions credibility. People are asking if this concept would be revived again as unelected forces strengthen their hold on power and Pakistan’s fragile democracy is threatened by extreme political polarization. In this context, it is important to reiterate Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah’s comments at a recent US event about the judiciary’s duty to uphold the constitutional order. When it comes to upholding the constitutional order, there can be no compromise, and their lordships have a responsibility to safeguard the text. The fact that discussions about defending the constitutional order are occurring despite the oppressive environment is what gives one hope.
