- PTI Senators boycott ‘vetting’ committee, warning amendment undermines judiciary and provincial rights
- Ali Zafar says Constitution belongs to the people, not government of the day
- Salman Akram Raja describes amend as ‘ploy to enslave us,’ and turn judicial system into instrument of coercion
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday denounced the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment as a “conspiracy against the Constitution,” refusing to participate in the parliamentary committee formed to scrutinize the bill. Party leaders warned that the amendment threatens the independence of the judiciary, undermines provincial rights, and is being pushed through in haste without broad consultation or national consensus.
“The proposed 27th Amendment is nothing short of a conspiracy against the Constitution that’s why the entire process is being carried out hastily in complete disregard of democratic norms and parliamentary traditions,” Senator Ali Zafar told the media. “The amendments {strike at the very foundation} of the constitutional structure by undermining the judiciary and eroding the delicate balance of powers that the 1973 Constitution carefully created,” he regretted.
Senator Zafar stressed that constitutional changes must emerge through broad-based consensus, not secret drafts or executive directives. “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 political convenience,” he added, explaining PTI’s decision to abstain from committee discussions.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja described the amendment as a “ploy to enslave us.” “Subjugating the Supreme Court to a new court, whose judges will be favorites of the current Form-47 government, is to turn the judicial system into an instrument of coercion,” he said on X.
آج کا دن پنجاب بار کے نومنتخب اراکین کو مبارکباد دینے میں گزرا۔ ستائیسویں ترمیم ہمیں غلام بنانے کا حربہ ہے۔ سپریم کورٹ کو ایک نئی عدالت، جس کے جج موجودہ فارم ۴۷ کی حکومت کے من پسند ہونگے، کے تابع کرنا عدالتی نظام کو جبر کا آلہ بنانا ہے۔ ان اراکین کو اور ہم سب کو بڑی جنگ لڑنی ہے۔
— salman akram raja (@salmanAraja) November 8, 2025
Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser echoed the criticism, asserting that the current parliament lacks a legitimate mandate to legislate. “We will use all possible tactics and platforms, including protest, to stop this legislation. Fresh elections must be held before any such amendments, because the current government is a Form-47 government and does not have the people’s mandate,” he said, adding that PTI leadership will meet to devise further strategy.
Senator Zafar also highlighted that the draft 27th Amendment contains 50 proposed changes. He criticized the lack of public consultation, contrasting it with the deliberations on the 18th Amendment, which were discussed by civil society, legislators, and stakeholders for over a year. “This time, efforts are being made to pass the amendment in haste, which is unfortunate for the spirit of the 1973 Constitution,” he said, noting that the PPP supports the move.
Earlier on Saturday, the bill was tabled in the Senate and referred to the standing committees on law and justice for review. The proposed amendments include the formation of a Federal Constitutional Court, changes in high court judge appointments, adjustments to provincial cabinet thresholds, and modifications to military leadership structures.
The law minister moved the bill, after which Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gillani referred it to both National Assembly and Senate law committees for consideration, with the possibility of joint sessions. The committees adjourned deliberations until Sunday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held consultations with multiple ruling allies, including PML-Q, Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), MQM-P, Balochistan Awami Party, ANP, and PML-Zia, but there was no engagement with the PTI.
Earlier this month, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari outlined that the proposed amendments involve establishing a constitutional court, executive magistrates, transfer of judges, removing provincial NFC protections, amending Article 243, returning education and population planning to the federation, and resolving the deadlock over ECP appointments.
