Raja Hamza Anwar

A practicing lawyer based in Pakistan | Barrister (Lincoln's Inn) | Columnist

[Nadeem Haque @nadeemhaque]

Democracy without real institutional autonomy is just theater.
Pakistan is formally a parliamentary democracy, but operationally it is still run by a centralized colonial administrative system — the secretariat, Rules of Business, and PAS control that keeps even “autonomous” universities, regulators, SOEs, and local governments on a tight bureaucratic leash.
The deepest question isn’t democracy vs dictatorship.
It is whether we can evolve to a modern system of autonomous institutions with real operational sovereignty.
Read the full analysis:
https://t.co/7Q1xOokpTa
What would genuine institutional autonomy actually look like in Pakistan? 👇
#DemocraticReform #Pakistan #Governance #InstitutionalReform

[The Friday Times @TFT_]

The NFC Award is a constitutional obligation, not a favour. Provinces provide the essential services that drive Pakistan's economy and growth.
By Raja Hamza Anwar
@RajahAnwar

Read more: https://t.co/ukd9UD5Jrn

#NFCAward #ProvincialAutonomy #PakistanEconomy #Article160

[Michael Kugelman @MichaelKugelman]

Tonight, Pakistan achieved one of its biggest diplomatic wins in years. It also defied many skeptics and naysayers that didn’t think it had the capacity to pull off such a complex, high stakes feat.
But what matters the most is it helped avert a potential catastrophe in Iran.

[J. Bricmont @JeanBricmont]

Thanks to Gaza, European philosophy has been exposed as ethically bankrupt https://t.co/L5Lylm3zOB

[Jostein Hauge @haugejostein]

https://t.co/fhGtGF2MnF

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

The creation of a constitutional court in the present form is a frontal assault on the right to be heard by an independent court. This right is an known to be an inalienable one in every civilized society. The amendment will have grave repercussions for every citizen.

[The Friday Times @TFT_]

Under the garb of a constitutional amendment, values and ideals that constitute the soul of a constitution cannot be transformed; any change to such values would amount to re-making and re-framing the Constitution. Writes @RajahAnwar

Read more👇
https://t.co/VNpPcHynTc

[Aasim Sajjad Akhtar @AasimSajjadA]

They promised relief from exorbitant electricity bills & gave people another monstrous increase in #PetrolDieselPrice instead.

And they are planning to sell public assets to the highest bidder (SIFC).

Militarised neoliberal policies only spell misery.

https://t.co/heF3MdYQQ3

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

@MaryamShKhan Could you be kind as to share it?
I'll be grateful.

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

Without a full court, the SC may not be able to examine the vires of Section 2(1)(d) of the AA 1952. SC may only examine whether the perpetrators of the 9th May have committed offences having direct & close nexus with the defence of Pak.

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

Thread on the issue of trial under Army Act 1952.

Two judgments of the #SupremeCourtofpakistan are germane to determining the lawfulness of trial under army act of civilians for civil wrongs that justifies a full court on this issue.

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

The bottom line is where the offence committed has a close & a direct nexus with the defence of Pakistan, a civilian will become amenable
to the Army Act.

The jurisprudence is settled & any deviation from the established precedents would require a full court.

[Jaffrelot Christophe @jaffrelotc]

Federalism is the main institution balancing authoritarian majoritarianism in India today - but it is at the receiving end of a new form of centralisation @KingsIndiaInst @CERI_SciencesPo @CarnegieIndia @CarnegieSAsia @AllianceAthena @forumfranceinde https://t.co/C0lMq3cgZN

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

An insightful piece about how a just society is one in which institutions must adhere to their limits & not encroach.

[Rafi Raja @RafiRaja9]

"A system is just when each part gets proportionate to what it contributes . . . and one in which no one part is allowed to encroach on the duties, rights, and freedoms of another." My latest in @TFT_
https://t.co/nStQ94D1og
@Razarumi @razaraja @D_AMERZ @PakRosi @Shahid_H_Raja

[Raja Hamza Anwar @RajahAnwar]

@AajKamranKhan Judgments given by Qazi Faez Isa speak for themselves. One cannot impute any bias towards him. He even made clear on the floor of the house that if the case deserves he would not hesitate to decide against any member of any political party.

[Nandini Das @rentravailer]

I'm a day late to this, but the wonderfully thoughtful and generous review of #CourtingIndia in New York Times will stay with me for a while. Thank you @zurtalab

https://t.co/wSJamM8vJ7