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    Pakistan Jurisdiction Monitor | Constitution Watchdog
    Active Monitoring Level: High (Structural Shift)

    Pakistan

    Regional Jurisdiction (South Asia). Monitoring the post-26th Amendment judicial bifurcation and the SIFC governance model.

    Current Legal Status
    Judicial Bifurcation
    Basis: 26th Amendment (2024) Const. Benches Active
    Supreme Court
    Split
    CJP: Justice Yahya Afridi
    Civilian Trials
    Military
    Restored May 8, 2025
    Economic Control
    Hybrid
    SIFC (Apex Committee)
    Digital Space
    Filtered
    "National Firewall" Active

    The 26th Amendment: A New Order

    The constitutional landscape of 2025 is defined by the full implementation of the 26th Constitutional Amendment (passed Oct 2024). This has fundamentally altered the separation of powers by ending the "automatic elevation" of the Chief Justice and creating parallel Constitutional Benches (Article 202A).

    The Bifurcated Court

    The Supreme Court is effectively split. Regular civil/criminal matters remain with the CJP, but politically sensitive "Constitutional" cases are now routed to a specific 13-member bench formed by the Judicial Commission (JCP), currently led by Justice Aminuddin Khan.

    "Analysis: Dilution of Suo Motu powers."

    The SIFC Factor

    The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) operates as a "Single Window" executive body with military participation. It possesses legal immunity and authority to bypass standard regulatory checks to fast-track foreign investment, creating a de facto parallel executive.

    The Fine Print

    WATCHDOG ALERT

    Verdict: Military Courts for Civilians

    Ruling Date: May 8, 2025. In a landmark reversal, the new Constitutional Bench (5-2 majority) overturned a previous Supreme Court decision, declaring that the Pakistan Army Act allows for the trial of civilians accused of attacking military installations. This validates the trials of May 9 rioters, setting a precedent that limits civilian judicial oversight.

    The National Firewall (WMS 2.0)

    While access to X (Twitter) was restored in May 2025 after a 15-month ban, the digital landscape is now governed by the "Web Management System 2.0." This infrastructure allows for Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and localized throttling of dissent, rendering traditional VPNs increasingly ineffective.