27th Amendment: Shehbaz orders withdrawal of proposed immunity for PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed the immediate withdrawal of a proposed constitutional amendment introduced by several Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senators seeking immunity for the office of the Prime Minister.

In a post on his X handle on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that as a matter of principle, an elected Prime Minister must remain fully accountable, both before the court of law and the people.

On his return from Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister said that he has learnt that some Senators belonging to the PML-N have submitted an amendment regarding immunity for the Prime Minister. He said while he acknowledges their intent in good faith, the proposal was not part of the Cabinet-approved draft of the 27th Constitutional amendment.

27th Constitutional Amendment bill tabled in Senate after cabinet’s approval

The federal government, a day earlier, presented a bill of the 27th Constitutional Amendment — proposing sweeping changes to the country’s judicial system as well as the military command structure — in the Senate.

The bill was introduced in the upper house and then referred to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice after the cabinet, chaired by PM Shehbaz, virtually from Azerbaijan, approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment draft. “On my return from Azerbaijan, I have learnt that some senators belonging to our party have submitted an amendment regarding immunity for the Prime Minister,” PM Shehbaz said in a statement on X.

“As a matter of principle, an elected Prime Minister must remain fully accountable, both before the court of law and the people,” the two-time PM added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025