Pakistan dismisses UN rights chief’s warning over lifetime immunity for military chief, defending constitutional amendments amid rule of law concerns.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan dismissed a UN rights chief’s warning over granting lifetime legal immunity to the head of its military.
The foreign ministry said Pakistan was “fully committed to protecting basic freedoms and the rule of law as enshrined in the constitution” in response to criticism from UN rights chief Volker Turk.
A constitutional amendment approved by parliament earlier this month shields Field Marshal Asim Munir and other top officials from prosecution for life.
The change also created a new Federal Constitutional Court, stripping the Supreme Court of some powers and tightening oversight of judges.
“These changes, taken together, risk subjugating the judiciary to political interference and executive control,” Turk said in a statement.
He warned of “far-reaching consequences for the principles of democracy and rule of law which the Pakistani people hold dear”.
In its statement, the foreign ministry called the remarks “baseless” and said “it is regrettable that Pakistan’s views and ground realities were not reflected”.
Pakistan has long struggled to balance civilian authority with the military’s role in politics.
The military has governed the country for nearly half its existence through a series of coups since independence in 1947.
