Pakistan parliamentary committee approves draft of 27th Constitutional Amendment

Pakistan's Joint Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice approved on Sunday the basic draft of the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, introducing sweeping changes to the country's constitutional and institutional framework.

The final report will be presented during Monday morning's Senate session for approval, followed by consideration in the National Assembly and subsequent endorsement by the President.

According to officials, the committee meeting was briefly adjourned to allow political parties to consult with their leadership. Following the break, the session resumed, and the draft was unanimously approved with several key amendments.

Senior lawmaker Farooq Naek confirmed that the draft had been adopted with revisions, while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar described the consensus as "a positive step forward for the country."

Significant changes

The approved draft includes several significant changes to important constitutional provisions. It establishes a new Federal Constitutional Court, which will serve as a high judicial body to interpret constitutional matters. It also introduces a new position of Chief of Defense Forces, making the Army Chief the head of all three armed services.

At the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) recommendation, a clause was added granting permanent immunity to President Asif Ali Zardari in corruption cases, effectively closing all ongoing and future cases against him. Legal proceedings related to the National Accountability Bureau's fake bank accounts cases had already been halted following his assumption of the presidency.

The committee also approved amendments extending the timeframe for pending court cases from six months to one year. If no progress is made within that period, the case will be considered closed.

What's next?

In addition, allied parties submitted their own proposals: the Awami National Party (ANP) proposed renaming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as "Pukhtunkhwa," while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) sought constitutional protection for local government funding. Balochistan's representatives proposed increasing the number of provincial assembly seats, though final decisions on these points remain pending.

Opposition parties boycotted the proceedings, while Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ain-e-Pakistan (Movement for Protection of Pakistan's Constitution) announced plans to launch a protest campaign against the 27th Amendment. Law enforcement agencies have reportedly been placed on alert to manage any demonstrations.