Amendment | Pakistan

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday warned that anyone who attempts to revoke the constitutional guarantees related to provinces’ rights as provided under the 18th Amendment was akin to “playing with fire”. Bilawal made the remarks in a video address to mark the PPP’s 58th foundation day, with his speech being live-streamed in “more than 100 districts” across the country, as per the party. Bilawal recalled that the ruling PML-N had also proposed constitutional tweaks related to the provinces’ financial rights under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, which were then rejected by the PPP and did not make it to the final version of the 27th Amendment. “The PPP considers that there were a lot of faultlines in this country and remain,” Bilawal said, adding that the PPP had tried to address those by giving provinces their rights and due representation, and restoring democracy in the past. “Those people who are trying to play with the NFC Award or the 18th Amendment or other such matters, or are t...

ISLAMABAD: One of the three Islamabad High Court judges who packed up their chambers earlier this week is considering submitting his resignation next week, as uncertainty deepens in the judiciary following the 27th Amendment. Sources told Dawn that Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri is likely to tender his resignation early next week. He is also expected to visit the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) on Dec 2, a day before key developments in his pending degree-related case. Justice Jahangiri is among the three IHC judges who removed their personal effects from the high court building over the past week as rumours intensified regarding their possible resignations following sweeping constitutional changes introduced through the 27th Amendment. The three judges — Justices Jahangiri, Babar Sattar and Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan — had reportedly packed their belongings and shifted them home. According to the sources, Justice Jahangiri removed all books, documents, decorative items and other personal effects fr...

• Malik Ahmad stresses need for stable constitutional interpretation for governance, economic continuity • Cross-examined in PM Shehbaz’s Rs10bn defamation suit against Imran LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Spea­­ker Malik Ahmad Khan has defended the 27th Constitution Amendment, describing it as a “necessary institutional reform aimed at reducing friction among constitutional bodies, clarifying judicial jurisdiction, and ensuring long-term administrative stability”. Addressing the “Speaker Aur Awam” public engagement session here on Saturday, he said a major part of the discussion centered on the 27th Amendment. He said the amendment established a Federal Constitutional Court, introduced reforms to the transfer process for high court judges, created a commander for the new National Strategic Command, and provided legal protections to senior armed forces officials and the president. “The amendment was necessary institutional reform aimed at reducing friction among constitutional bodies, clarifying judicial jurisdictio...

Four Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges have decided to approach the Supreme Court against the recently introduced 27th Amendment and a draft petition in this regard, invoking the original jurisdiction of the top court under Article 184(3), has already been prepared. According to the draft petition prepared and forwarded to the Supreme Court, the petitioners include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Justice Saman Rifat Imtiaz. All four judges have signed the petition, which is yet to be formally lodged at the apex court. Sources said that the petition was not entertained by the apex court registry branch since Article 184(3), which used to be an inherent power of the SC to enforce fundamental rights, has been omitted from the Constitution. They added that the petitioner judges also did not visit the SC to either file the petition or undergo biometric verification. They said the judges decided to move the apex court after months of raising concerns over what ...

The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Tuesday staged a march from Parliament House to Supreme Court as part of its nationwide protest movement against the newly enacted 27th Amendment. The 27th Amendment was signed into law on November 13 after passage from the parliament amid strong criticism by the opposition parties. The legislation, which has brought major structural changes to the judiciary and the military, has been assailed by the legal fraternity, even former and sitting judges, as an “attack” on judicial independence. In a meeting on Friday, the TTAP had vowed to vigorously protest to “restore the Constitution to its original form”. Under a plan announced then, members of parties under the TTAP umbrella gathered outside Parliament House today to hold a protest. They then marched to the Supreme Court on Constitution Avenue. TTAP Vice Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI Senator Faisa...

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday said that a 28th Constitutional Amendment, dealing with “public issues”, could be introduced if there is political consensus. Last week, President Asif Ali Zardari gave his assent to the contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment, enacting it into law. Speaking to reporters in Chiniot, the PM’s aide said that the amendment would deal with “public issues, such as local bodies, population, the National Finance Commission … health-related issues”. “There is a need to review how we can better serve the people according to the present needs of the provinces and the Centre,” Sanaullah stated. “This is being debated and if there is any consensus, then we can bring the 28th Amendment forward,” said the PML-N leader. Referring to the recent resignations by judges of the Supreme Court and LHC, the PM’s aide said that “those who stepped down did so due to their personal motives”. He maintained that the parliament has the constitutional right to p...

There was no discussion on the 27th Amendment in a full court meeting called by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Friday, according to a Supreme Court (SC) press release. It was reported a day ago that after a series of letters seeking a full court meeting on the contentious amendment, which was enacted into law yesterday, the CJP called one today. According to the press release issued after the meeting, the participants “unanimously updated the Supreme Court Rules, 2025 on the recommendation of the committee, comprising Hon’ble Justice Shahid Waheed, Hon’ble Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, Hon’ble Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Hon’ble Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, constituted under Rule 1(4) of Order I of the Supreme Court Rules, 2025 for removal of difficulties arising in giving effect to its provisions”. It said the meeting extended “sincere appreciation to each member of the committee individually for undertaking such a massive task of meticulously reviewing the Supreme Court Rules, 1980, draftin...

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on Thursday issued a statement assailing the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it a “flagrant attack” on judicial independence and the rule of law. Last year, the ICJ similarly derided the 26th Constitutional Amendment being signed into law as a “blow to judicial independence”. ICJ Secretary-General Santiago Canton was quoted as saying: “The changes made to the judicial system in the 27th Amendment are alarming …They will significantly impair the judiciary’s ability to hold the executive accountable and protect the fundamental human rights of the people of Pakistan.” The jurists’ body expressed concern over several main points, namely the formation of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), the appointment of judges and chief justices to the Supreme Court and the FCC, the composition of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), the transfer of high court judges and the immunities granted to the president and the military leadership. “The FCC w...

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has accused the government of betraying the Constitution, saying that democracy has been reduced to a mere name after the 27th Amendment.

The National Assembly deliberated on the contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment bill on Tuesday — a day after the government succeeded in manoeuvring it through the Senate — with PTI’s Barrister Gohar Ali Khan accusing the government of attempting to “create another elite class”. He made these remarks particularly in reference to a proposal under the 27th Amendment to grant the president lifetime immunity from criminal proceedings and arrests. Speaking after Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, who presented the bill in the lower house of Parliament, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned the 27th Amendment. He said that “with the passing of this amendment, democracy here will only exist in name”, adding that his party “will not accept” it. It was a disservice to the “constitutional oath”, he decried. “When you take the oath, you vow to exercise responsibility and honesty for the good of the people and democracy,” Gohar added. Speaking about the proposal to establish a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC...

As the government made moves toward the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, present and former judges and top lawyers on Monday urged Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi to summon a full court meeting to discuss the proposed legislation. The request came in a letter, dated November 9 and a copy of which is available with Dawn, that was penned by senior counsel Faisal Siddiqi. It was also signed and endorsed by former SC senior puisne judge retired Justice Mushir Alam, former Sindh High Court (SHC) judge retired Justice Nadeem Akhtar and nine other top lawyers. The letter said that the missive was being written “not in normal times but in times that presented the greatest threat to the Supreme Court of Pakistan since its establishment in 1956”. It termed the 27th Amendment Act as the “biggest and the most radical restructuring of the Federal Appellate Court structure since the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935”. “We say this without any fear of contradiction that no civilian or ...

Senator Faisal Vawda on Monday announced that the 27th Constitutional Amendment has been approved, adding that preparations should now begin for the 28th Amendment.

Senators continue debate on 27th Amendment

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered the withdrawal of proposed immunity for the PM as part of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, urging that the premier must remain “fully accountable”. Taking to X, he ordered the withdrawal of a clause seeking to grant immunity to the PM in the 27th Amendment and said, “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.” “While I acknowledge their intent in good faith, the proposal was not part of the Cabinet-approved draft. I have instructed that it be withdrawn immediately,” PM Shehbaz wrote. “As a matter of principle, an elected prime minister must remain fully accountable, both before the court of law and the people.” Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, while speaking to reporters today, said that PM Shehbaz told him earlier that “he had no interest in getting immunity,” owing to the executive nature of his role as the prime minister. “The other p...

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has called the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment a “conspiracy against the Constitution” and refused to become part of the proceedings of the committee established to discuss the bill. “The proposed 27th Amendment is nothing short of a conspiracy against the Constitution. The entire process is being carried out in haste, without consultation or deliberation, in complete disregard of democratic norms and parliamentary traditions,” Senator Ali Zafar said while talking to Dawn. “These amendments strike at the very foundation of the constitutional structure by undermining the independence of the judiciary and eroding the delicate balance of powers that the 1973 Constitution so carefully created,” he said. “Any change to the Constitution must come only through broad-based national consensus, not through secret drafts or executive dictates. The Constitution belongs to the people of Pakistan, not to any government of the day, and no one has the right to mutilate it for politic...

“The judiciary must be independent of every other power; otherwise, there is no liberty, no security, no justice.” — John Adams Centuries after John Adams spoke these words, their resonance feels almost prophetic today, as the government tables the 27th Constitutional Amendment. For those who have witnessed the slow, deliberate erosion of judicial independence in Pakistan, this moment feels less like reform and more like resignation. The judiciary, already weakened and weary after the 26th Amendment, now stands on the precipice of collapse. What is being framed as an administrative restructuring — the creation of a separate constitutional court — in truth, threatens to hollow out the very authority of an institution that has long stood as the final line of defence between power and the people. It is not merely an amendment to a document; it is an assault on the idea that justice must stand apart from politics. The judiciary is not an accessory to government; it is the conscience of the nation. When that consc...

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that the government will proceed only with those parts of the 27th Constitutional Amendment agreed upon by coalition partners, while disputed matters, including changes to the 18th Amendment and the NFC Award, will remain under discussion. Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Sanaullah said the amendment’s draft was expected to be presented before the cabinet today, but was delayed as the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) had not yet finalised its position. “We thought it better to wait for their opinion before moving forward. Once their input comes, we’ll finalise the draft and take it to the cabinet for approval before presenting it in the Senate,” he said. Responding to a question about PML-N’s agreement with PPP on the formation of a constitutional court, Sanaullah highlighted that the PPP has been committed to the idea since 2005, and both parties are signatories to the Charter of Democracy. “Their only demand...

• Meets allies to secure their support; tweaks top agenda as Cabinet meets today; draft may be tabled following nod • PPP rejects any cut to provinces’ NFC share; backs limited changes to Article 243 • Remains non-committal on constitutional court for now • Tarar sees no ‘major roadblocks’ to new legislation • PTI says current govt lacks mandate to amend Constitution ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday held consultations with ruling allies to secure support for the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment, with the government expected to table the bill in the Senate within days. The prime minister has also convened a meeting of the federal cabinet today (Friday), with the 27th Amendment topping the agenda. Sources said the amendment could be introduced in parliament after cabinet approval. The premier is due to depart for Azerbaijan later in the day for a one-day official visit. Some media reports suggested PM Shehbaz has decided to establish a parliamentary committee bringing all parties ...

PPP Information Secretary Shazia Marri said on Thursday that the party would not support any rollback of the 18th Amendment or the NFC Award if the government sought its backing. Speaking to reporters in Karachi outside the Bilawal House, Marri said that her party will never take away the rights given to provinces. “When it comes to provinces, the PPP has a very clear stance […] the Pakistan Peoples Party wants to see the strengthening of the provinces, and it will never take away its rights or agree to proposals that may [compromise its rights],” she said. However, she added that if any constitutional amendments could improve Pakistan’s governance system, enhance institutional performance, and deliver greater relief to citizens, the PPP would be open to considering and supporting such proposals. “There are fears and speculations that there will be discussions [today] regarding the 18th Amendment or the NFC share. The PPP has a very clear stance on this — we will never step back. Rolling back the 18th Amendme...

Senator says 18th Amendment won't be rolled back; urges PTI inclusion