ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Saturday approved the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, moving ahead despite vocal objections from opposition parties and criticism from legal community.
The meeting, chaired virtually by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from Baku – where he is on an official visit alongside the Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir – endorsed the draft without recording the dissent, according to officials briefed on the session.
In a video-link address to cabinet members, the prime minister described the amendment as an effort to strengthen the federation’s relations with the provinces and advance the broader national interest.
He commended the Ministry of Law and Justice, led by Azam Nazeer Tarar, and the Attorney General’s Office for what he termed “a wonderful job” in preparing the proposal.
The prime minister said he had sought guidance from Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) president and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as well as from President Asif Ali Zardari.
“I took my leader, Mian Nawaz Sharif, into confidence regarding the 27th Constitutional Amendment and sought his guidance,” PM Sharif said, adding that he also sincerely thanked President Zardari for his support.
He further acknowledged the backing of coalition partners, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and others. “Everyone worked together for the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the spirit of strengthening the federation’s relations with the provinces.”
27th Constitutional Amendment: Fierce debate erupts in National Assembly
Declaring that political and economic stability has set the country on the right path, the prime minister urged all parties to work together for the country’s development and prosperity.
While the cabinet appeared united, the approval drew swift condemnation from opposition lawmakers especially the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and some legal experts, who argue that the proposed changes could alter the balance of power between the federal and provincial governments.
Critics also questioned the haste of the process, noting that the draft was pushed through the cabinet with minimal consultation with the public and opposition parties.
“The government seems more interested in securing political consensus among allies than in ensuring constitutional transparency,” said Asad Qaiser, a senior leader of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Speaker of the National Assembly.
The cabinet’s approval cleared the way for the bill’s swift introduction in the Senate just hours later. It is expected to be laid before the National Assembly on Monday.
Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar outlined the government’s rationale and proposed structure for the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
He said the prime minister had consulted the coalition partners to secure a broad support for the legislation and that consensus had been reached on the creation of a new Federal Constitutional Court.
He added that under the proposed reforms, the transfer of judges between high courts would be overseen by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, with the chief justices of both relevant courts participating in the process.
“There have been many objections to judges’ transfers,” he said. “If a judge wishes to move from one high court to another, both chief justices of the concerned courts will be part of the committee.”
He also addressed the issue of inclusion of the Field Marshal position, saying it “was not previously defined in the Constitution” and describing it as both “a rank and a ceremonial honour”. Amendments relating to the command structure, he said, would be formally presented in Parliament.
Discussing Article 243, which governs the command of the armed forces, Tarar said recent Pakistan-India tensions had underscored the need to modernise military command frameworks. “The nature and strategy of war have completely changed,” he said. “Some appointment procedures and positions were mentioned in the Army Act but not reflected in the 1973 Constitution. Parallel ranks exist globally for the air and naval chiefs.” He continued that the cabinet also reviewed proposals from coalition partners, including the Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) request for additional provincial seats and the MQM-P’s local government bill.
According to a copy of the draft available with Business Recorder, the 27th Constitutional Amendment would abolish the position of Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, replacing it with a new title – Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) – as the unified head of Pakistan’s armed forces.
The draft also calls for sweeping judicial reforms, including the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court with equal provincial representation and a three-year term for its chief justice. The president and prime minister would play a direct role in judicial appointments, while Parliament would determine the court’s composition and the number of judges.
The amendment further proposes a reduction in the powers of the Supreme Court, transferring certain constitutional jurisdictions to the new Federal Constitutional Court.
In addition to restructuring the judiciary, the amendment also redefines the military hierarchy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.