Constitutional Amendment | Pakistan

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Friday that his party would oppose any proposed amendment that seeks to reduce the powers granted to the provinces under the 18th Amendment. A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif 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 provinces have a constitutional right to an increased NFC (National Finance Commission) award, not a reduced one,” he said, warning that if provincial rights were stripped, the JUI-F would “strongly oppose it.” Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Fazl said his party had agreed on certain points in principle, but would only comment further once a draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment was presented. Commenting on proposed changes to Article 243, he said the matter must be viewed in two ways: “If it is used to affect democracy, the Constitution or politics, we will not accept it. But if it is purely...

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday to challenge the “attempts to do away with the constitutional jurisdiction of the superior judiciary”, apparently by means of a 27th Constitutional Amendment. The proposed changes to the Constitution have raised concerns that the move could roll back some powers devolved under the landmark 18th Constitution Amendment and further “fine-tune” the structure and the functioning of the superior judiciary. “The said proposal, as publicly reported, contemplates the establishment of separate ‘Constitutional Courts’ and the curtailment or transfer of the existing jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the high courts of Pakistan conferred under Articles 184(3) and 199 of the Constitution. “Such an attempt, if permitted to proceed, would fundamentally alter the constitutional framework, destroy the independence of the judiciary, violate the doctrine of separation of powers, and extinguish the citizens’ right of access to justice and judicial review guarante...

Political activities have intensified across the country following the coalition government’s decision to table the 27th Constitutional Amendment in Parliament, with parties holding back-to-back meetings and consultations.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday said there are no major roadblocks and impediments with respect to the 27th Constitutional Amendment. Earlier today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held meetings with the delegations of multiple parties in what appeared to be efforts by the government to prepare the ground to get the 27th Constitutional Amendment approved by parliament. Tarar was present during these meetings. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, the minister said consultations among political parties on the proposed amendment were taking place in a “positive environment” and that a broad consensus appeared to be emerging. “The feeling I got during today’s meetings, in which different political parties were present … I got the feeling that there is no major roadblock or impediment,” he said. “There was no need for any further discussions or debate. Ideas were shared in a positive environment, some of which were agreed upon.” The information minister added that the obje...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held meetings with the delegations of multiple parties on Thursday in what appears to be efforts by the government to prepare the ground to get a 27th Constitutional Amendment approved by Parliament. Among those he met was a seven-member delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which was led by party Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. A statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said “discussion and consultation took place on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment” during the meeting. The delegation also included Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Members of National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar, Jawed Hanif Khan, Syed Aminul Haque and Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the statement added. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Information and Broadcasting Minist...

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure that local governments are fully empowered under the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, in line with earlier commitments.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that the much-talked about 27th Constitutional Amendment will be tabled soon in Parliament. Specul­ation and debate over a possible 27th Constitutional Amend­ment reached fever pitch on Monday after the PPP claimed the government had sought its support for the proposed changes to the Constitution. The proposed changes have sparked a nationwide debate, with political parties weighing their positions amid concerns that the move could roll back some powers devolved under the landmark 18th Constitution Amendment. The opposition PTI has announced its intention to oppose the proposed amendment ‘tooth and nail’. Addressing the matter while speaking in the Senate session today, the deputy PM said: “Of course, the government is bringing it and will bring it … the 27th Amendment will arrive … and is about to arrive. We will try that it is tabled in accordance with principles, laws and the Constitution.” He reassured the opposition that the amendment w...

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that a PML-N delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had visited him and President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking their support for the approval of a 27th Constitutional Amendment. Separately, the PPP also issued a similar statement that quoted Bilawal as saying that the proposal included setting up constitutional courts, restoring executive magistrates and the matter of transfer of judges. It also included the end of protection for the provincial share under the National Finance Commission and amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution, which pertains to the command of armed forces, the statement further quoted Bilawal as saying. He added that the proposed amendment also included a provision about the return of the subjects of education and population planning to the federation and a point about ending the stalemate regarding appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan. Bilawal said a session of the PPP’s central executive committee (CEC) ha...

ISLAMABAD - The Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court will Monday (today) resume the proceedings on the petitions filed against 26th Constitutional Amendment.