Islamabad: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the draft of the 27th Constitution Amendment in the senate after the approval of the amendment from the federal cabinet.
In a meeting chaired by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that today we will suspend the normal proceedings and present the bill, on which the Senate Chairman suspended the normal proceedings.
While presenting the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said that the bill will be presented to the joint committee of Parliament.
The committee will do its work, we are in no hurry, members of the National Assembly and the Senate sit in the joint committee, Azam Tarar said .
He said the bill will go to the committee, other members who are not members of the committee will also be invited to the committee, the vote on the bill will not take place yet until a full debate is conducted.
The Senate Chairman asked the opposition to attend the committee meeting, and handed over the bill to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
Before its approval, the bill has been sent to the relevant standing committee for detailed review.
Earlier the federal cabinet had approved the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the meeting via video link from Baku, Azerbaijan.
DRAFT OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
Proposed amendment includes the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court, a long-standing commitment under the Charter of Democracy. This court will function separately from SC and will handle constitutional matters. Parliament will decide on its final structure and approval after debate, with the govt and its allies supporting its passage.
▪️ Another key proposal concerns judicial transfers. Currently, the PM recommends and the President approves such transfers, but the new bill proposes that this authority be transferred to the Judicial Commission of Pak. The Chief Justices of both the transferring and receiving high courts will be included in the process to ensure transparency and fairness.
▪️ The bill also addresses Senate elections and terms, aiming to prevent delays caused by provincial disputes and court cases, such as those seen in KP. It proposes aligning Senate elections nationwide and ensuring continuity in legislative work. Additionally, small provinces have suggested increasing the ministerial quota from 11% to 13% due to their limited assembly seats. The number of non-elected advisers may also increase from five to seven to accommodate new areas like IT and modern commerce.
▪️ Recent conflicts, including those with India, have shown that modern warfare has evolved significantly. In response, the govt plans to update defence-related provisions in Article 243 to reflect these changes. Positions such as Field Marshal and equivalent honorary ranks for the Air and Naval Chiefs, previously recognized under the Army Act, will now be formally mentioned in the constitution as ceremonial titles to honour national heroes. Their command and appointments will continue to be regulated by law, and the relevant arrangements will be presented before Parliament for approval.
▪️ The govt also plans to move forward with pending legislative matters, including the bill proposed by the MQM during the 26th Amendment for amendments to Article 140-A. Bill will be discussed alongside the new amendment in the Senate committee to build consensus among all allies.
