ISLAMABAD: The joint standing committees on law and justice of the Senate and National Assembly convened on Sunday to continue deliberations on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The bill, tabled in the Senate on Saturday following federal cabinet approval, has sparked protests from opposition lawmakers, who criticized the speed and scope of the proposed changes.
The proposed amendment includes the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), revisions to the appointment and transfer process for high court judges, an increase in the maximum size of provincial cabinets, and changes related to the military leadership structure.
Senator Farooq H. Naek, chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, and MNA Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk, head of the National Assembly panel, co-chaired Sunday’s session.
The committees are also expected to finalise mechanisms for transferring high court judges through the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), potentially without obtaining the consent of the judges being transferred.
During Saturday’s in-camera joint session, lawmakers cleared roughly 80 percent of the bill, including most clauses concerning judicial reforms. Deliberations on the status of the field marshal under Article 243 of the Constitution were deferred to Sunday’s session.
The PTI, JUI-F, and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen continued their boycott of the committee, while participants included Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik, Deputy Prime Minister and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar, PPP and PML-N lawmakers, as well as ANP and MQM-P representatives, some joining via video link.
PPP MNA Kasim Gilani summarized the amendment’s main points on social media, noting that the 27th Amendment primarily addresses five areas including the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court, high court judge transfers under Article 200, fixing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senate election anomaly, a two percent cabinet size increase at the request of smaller provinces, and changes to Article 243 regarding defence services and presidential immunity. He added that all other changes were consequential.
Midway through Sunday’s session, the committees took a break, during which Senator Naek addressed the media. He said discussion remained on three key points; the transfer of cases between high courts, the transfer of judges from one high court to another, and provisions under Article 243 regarding command of the armed forces.
Naek said some objections had been raised on judge and case transfers and that discussions would resume after the break, expressing hope that a consensus could be reached. He also reaffirmed that all parliamentary parties would have the opportunity to voice their opinions and that proposals from PML-N and MQM-P would be considered based on majority opinion.
ANP’s Hidayatullah Khan noted that the committee had sought time to deliberate on his party’s suggestion for changing the name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar confirmed that provincial governments had been consulted regarding this clause.
He also said MQM-P’s recommendations on local governments had been reviewed and that participants were now consulting their party leaderships. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry added that all decisions reached by the committees would be presented to the Senate in a formal report.
Earlier, Tarar had told reporters that the joint committee had completed approximately 85 percent of its work and hoped deliberations would conclude by the evening. He highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives to withdraw amendments that proposed legal immunity for prime ministers.
Referring to JUI-F’s absence, Tarar urged parliamentary parties to exercise their voting rights rather than boycotting the process. He emphasized that discussions would continue until a consensus was achieved among all members of both houses.
The opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), which includes the PTI, has announced a nationwide protest against the amendment. PTI parliamentary leader Barrister Ali Zafar criticized the debate, arguing it was inappropriate without a formally notified opposition leader.
He also claimed the amendments would undermine judicial independence and disrupt the constitutional balance of power established under the 1973 Constitution.
Meanwhile, PML-N and PPP leaders rejected the notion that the amendment process was rushed, stressing that the bill had undergone extensive scrutiny. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conducted consultations with ruling coalition allies, including MQM-P, PML-Q, the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party, Balochistan Awami Party, ANP, and PML-Zia, to discuss the bill. No meetings with the PTI were reported.
The committees are also expected to finalize details concerning the transfer of judges through the Judicial Commission and other provisions affecting judicial procedures. Tarar noted that all points raised by stakeholders, including objections on judge transfers and local governance clauses, were being carefully reviewed.
The bill continues to generate controversy among opposition parties, who argue that the proposed changes could concentrate power in the executive and weaken checks and balances.
Government officials, however, maintain that the amendment addresses administrative and constitutional gaps, while respecting the federal structure and the rights of all provinces.
