27th Constitutional Amendment tabled in Senate, referred to joint committee

The draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, approved earlier by the federal cabinet, was presented to the Senate on Saturday and referred to a joint parliamentary committee for review.

The session, chaired by Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, focused on the bill. Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the 27th Amendment Bill in the upper house, requesting suspension of the question hour. The motion, moved by the Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, was approved by the Senate.

The bill was referred to a joint committee comprising members of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice and the National Assembly’s counterpart.

Read: 27th Amendment — What we know so far

The joint committee will be co-chaired by the chairpersons of both committees, Senator Farooq H. Naek and MNA Mahmood Bashir Virk and will review the proposed legislation in detail.

During the session, Law Minister Tarar informed the house that all political parties would be invited to participate in the committee’s discussions. He emphasised that the bill would be thoroughly debated before moving forward.

The bill, presented by Tarar, proposes giving the Judicial Commission authority to transfer High Court judges and increasing the size of provincial cabinets. The house retains the power to approve or reject the bill.

The amendment also includes major changes in the military hierarchy. The position of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will be abolished from November 27, with the Army Chief serving as the Chief of Defence Forces.

The ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Fleet Marshal will be made lifelong, but Parliament will retain the power to revoke these honorary positions through a process similar to presidential impeachment. The prime minister will appoint the Chief of National Command in consultation with the Army Chief.

Opposition senators, including Senator Ali Zafar and Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, voiced concerns that the amendment had been introduced without broad consensus. They argued that the opposition had not been given sufficient time to review the draft.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas criticised the process, saying lawmakers were given only two days to review the changes. He expressed concern over the concentration of power in the hands of the Army Chief, warning that the rushed legislation could make the Constitution controversial.

He urged consensus-building before introducing amendments and stressed that strict laws should exist to prevent powerful individuals from being unchecked.

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Ishaq Dar stated that detailed deliberations would take place in the standing committee and noted that the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate fell under the prerogative of the Senate Chairman.

Read more: Cabinet delays meeting on 27th Amendment draft

The session also addressed preparations for the upcoming Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference to be held in Islamabad, with Chairman Gilani briefing members on the event’s arrangements.

A joint meeting of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Law and Justice has been convened for 2pm today to continue deliberations on the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Senator Kamran Murtaza left the session to attend a standing committee meeting after stating he had not received prior notice of the gathering. Senator Sherry Rehman, presiding over the committee, confirmed that the notice had been issued and urged his participation.

She addressed the house on the ongoing debate over the 27th Constitutional Amendment, emphasising the importance of the opposition in a democratic system.

She recalled the Pakistan Peoples Party’s boycott of the 1985 elections, stating it underscored the need for opposition involvement in legislative discussions. She added that the Constitution guarantees the supremacy of constitutional courts under the Charter of Democracy.

Senator Faisal Javed on Saturday raised concerns over the legitimacy of the current government, questioning its authority to amend the Constitution. He claimed that the public’s will was disregarded in the 2024 elections and said the ruling parties themselves have admitted they did not win.

He said the country cannot progress until power is returned to the people, highlighting that a leader who received a national mandate is currently imprisoned. He also questioned whether Pakistan is being governed according to the vision of its founders, Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam.

Media talks

Opposition members declined to attend a parliamentary committee meeting on the 27th Constitutional Amendment, citing last-minute notification and concerns over rushed procedures.

Barrister Ali Zafar, while talking to the media, said the draft was received only minutes before the scheduled 2:30pm meeting and described the proposed changes, including restructuring the military command, transferring judges, and removing Article 184, as significant matters that require full debate in the Senate.

Zafar warned that the opposition would not act as “rubber stamps” and pledged to raise their concerns in Parliament, adding that pre-decided arrangements on certain issues undermine democratic processes.

Meanwhile, Farooq H. Naik, while talking to the media from Committee Room 5, said in-camera sessions are held for national interest and that all parties, including those currently unrepresented, can participate by nominating members. He emphasised that the opposition’s stance should be recorded to ensure transparency for the public.

Cabinet approves amendment

The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif via video link from Baku, approved the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, state-run PTV News reported.