**Call-for-Papers** Asian Law & Society Annual Conference 13-14 December at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seoul, Korea (in person) Deadline for paper and panel proposals: 24 June alsa.network/alsa-meetings

This is such an important article from Tamir Moustafa!

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has told the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) that the government is considering to amend the procedure of superior courts judges appointment through the constitution amendment.

🚨 New article at Studies in Comparative International Development! How do voters evaluate co-ethnic reps when a) public goods are privatized and b) provision is linked to criminality? Niloufer Siddiqui and I look at Karachi's hybrid provision of water service delivery. link.springer.com/article/10.100…

My article with Asfandyar Mir examining the link between nationalism and conspiracy theories about rights-seeking minority groups is now out at British Jnl Poli Sci. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

So excited to see this article from Zoha Waseem on the impact of institutional inequalities on security work in Pakistan’s policing system out now in Security Dialogue. Do give it a read!

This report by Zoha Waseem for Carnegie South Asia takes a deep dive into lawfare in Pakistan’s political system as she tracks how, across governments and regimes, the law has been weaponized to criminalize political opposition, suppress dissent, and consolidate state power.

The existence of LIMS may not have come to light had Justice Babar Sattar not insisted on demanding answers from the state about who had the power and resources to conduct such surveillance of civilians. What has since been uncovered is chilling for anyone dawn.com/news/1843525

Against all odds, the PTI was the single most popular party in the elections. The decision preserves this. Second, it denies an unrestricted ability to amend the Constitution to a government that doesn't have the numbers. But could things get a little more complicated? Thoughts:

Order of the court:

Bloomsbury Pakistan Book Prize Shortlist 2024

Many congrats Niloufer Siddiqui!

Strongly condemn the arrest of Prof Nida Kirmani, alongside peaceful BYC protesters by state authorities at the KPC today. Peaceful protest and dissent must not be criminalized.

🥁New article! Notice how 🇮🇳 rarely explicitly criticizes or even names 🇨🇳 in diplomatic speech? Well Raphaëlle Khan & I have a theory for that. Our new BJPIR article draws on language pragmatics to argue that 🇮🇳 often signals via a mode of indirect speech called "implicature"

I'm happy to announce that the line-up for our Sawyer Seminar on Just Policing at Institute for Advanced Study, U of M is live! Check out our exciting talks, incl. Marisol LeBrón, Zoha Waseem, Robert Chase, Matt Lassiter, Julian Go, and Monica Bell at: ias.umn.edu/news-stories/a… (+ sign up for listserve!)

This draft Bill is insane! In a nutshell, says SC will not listen to any petition involving Fundamental Rights or even appeals from any writ petitions from HCs (whether they are tax cases, rent petitions, regulatory matters etc). All such cases to go to Constitutional Court. 1/n

in front of military; how will making them more vulnerable to executive help that? The Bill is a clear attack on the separation of powers & independence of judiciary. It’s even worse than extension or court-packing! Effectively renders all SC judges OSD.

CJ Qazi Faez Isa: Constitution does not grant CJ power to decide unilaterally or arbitrarily When power is concentrated in an individual, disastrous consequences follow When consultation takes with with 2 senior most judges, there is continuity + CJ’s office is strengthened

CJP really wanted his “arbitrary and unilateral” powers back, something he agitated against for years 🙃

Leaving aside objections to composition, timing, intention behind Constitutional Court (CC); we need to actually discuss very workability of the idea (which many people naively presume a good idea IF done properly) in our legal context. Let’s start with few basic questions: 1/n