ISLAMABAD: Several lawmakers in the Upper House of the Parliament have rejected the draft 27th Constitutional Amend-ment— cautioning that the proposed legislation would entail detrimental consequences for democracy if it gets Parliament’s nod, and becomes a law.
As the Senate continued its debate on Sunday, another weekly holiday, after the proposed law was moved in the House a day earlier, some lawmakers denounced the proposed constitutional amendment, and questioned the “haste” the treasury side was apparently in, to have this amendment passed.
The legislators also questioned the decision of Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani to hold Senate meetings over the weekend, on weekly holidays.
‘Oppose the bill or face ruin,’ PTI asks PPP
Speaking on the floor of the House, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Leader in Senate Barrister Syed Ali Zafar took on the proposed law. “The Parliament has systematically reached where it is today; this is slow and gradual erosion of democracy, and the judiciary.”
He said autonomy of provinces, supremacy of the Parliament and adherence to the Constitution, fundamental rights of citizens, independent judiciary, and civilian supremacy are the five aspects that are the essence of the 1973 Constitution. “If you disturb— this balance of five pillars through any amendment, the entire Constitution will be affected, and there would be chaos.”
If you try to change the essence of the Constitution, it is tantamount to altering the foundation of a building—any mistake can result in the collapse of the entire building, the PTI parliamentary leader added.
Zafar urged the House to reject this bill. He invited the treasury side for discussions on the legislative issues, but argued that the 27th constitutional Amendment, if passed by the Parliament, would prove detrimental for democracy and the judiciary.
Other PTI lawmakers including Faisal Javed Khan, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Saifullah Abro and Zarqa Suharwardy-Taimur also spoke in rejection of the proposed legislative draft.
The PTI senators participated in the Senate session with the photos of PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan having placed on their desks.
“Will this amendment give protection to us? It will certainly give protection to some people—but, the Constitution, which could not protect us, who would it protect then,” Taimur asked.
Afnan Ullah Khan from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) accused the opposition, saying its “dark deeds resulted in the arrival of such kind of amendment.”
He added, “This is the result of your collusion with the judiciary— it’s by virtue of your actions that 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments are here.”
Independent Senator Naseema Ehsan said: “Very respected Islamic commanders like Hazrat Khalid Bin Waleed, even they were not above accountability. They presented themselves for accountability.”
She said she supports the proposed law but said this amendment “can be changed further if it does not yield positive results—this is not a divine document, after all.”
Leader of the House in Senate Ishaq Dar said the establishment of a federal constitutional court was decided back in the year 2002 when he held first meeting with the late Benazir Bhutto, as part of the Charter of Democracy. “The CoD was signed between Mian Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto on 13 May 2006 in London.
Few weeks later, there was a meeting in London—in which all political parties participated and endorsed the Charter of Democracy. Imran Khan was part of it, and his signatures are included in it—in support of the constitutional court—it is the common ownership of all the political leaders,” Dar claimed.
Meanwhile, the Senate passed a resolution to pay homage to Allama Iqbal on his 148th birth anniversary. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman moved the resolution.
The House was adjourned till today (Monday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025