��������

ISLAMABAD: The 27th constitutional amendment will be tabled in the Pakistan National Assembly session beginning this week, a ruling party minister said on Monday, in a move that could reshape key aspects of the country’s judicial and federal framework.

Constitutional amendments in Pakistan require two-thirds approval in both houses of parliament and have historically been used to redefine the balance of power between the legislature, judiciary and provinces. The proposed 27th amendment follows the 26th constitutional amendment, passed in October 2024 amid stiff resistance from opposition parties and the legal fraternity. That measure empowered parliament to appoint the Supreme Court’s chief justice for a fixed term and created a new panel of senior judges to hear constitutional cases, changes critics say weakened judicial independence.

Pakistan’s constitution, adopted in 1973, has been amended more than two dozen times, often reflecting shifts in authority among civilian governments, the military and the judiciary. Provisions such as the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, which governs how federal revenue is shared among provinces, remain especially sensitive as they underpin provincial autonomy and the country’s federal structure.

“Yes, the government is planning to table the 27th amendment in the constitution in the National Assembly session that is starting today [Wednesday],” Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told Arab News, declining to share more details. 

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a coalition partner of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, said it had also received a draft of the amendment and was examining it. 

“The party’s parliamentarians are meeting today in Islamabad to discuss the draft of the amendment. We will take a decision after the consultation,” MQM lawmaker Syed Amin-ul-Haque said.

“Parliament is supreme and it has the full mandate to amend the constitution with a two-thirds majority.”

Haque said the MQM would urge the government to include provisions strengthening local governments, calling them “essential for effective governance and public service delivery.”

Asked if the party would ultimately vote in favor, he said: 

“If the change is in the interest of the country, the MQM will support it.”

In a post on X on Monday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, a major coalition partner, said PM Sharif’s PML-N had approached his party for support in passing the amendment. He said the proposals included establishing a constitutional court, restoring executive magistrates, amending Article 243 — which defines the command and control of the armed forces — removing protection for provinces’ share in the NFC, and returning education and population planning to the federation.

Bhutto-Zardari has said his party’s Central Executive Committee will meet tomorrow, Thursday, to decide its stance. 

Earlier this week during a briefing, when asked about possible changes to the military command structure under the amendment, Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lt. General Ahmad Sharif said it was the prerogative of parliament to amend the constitution and that the military only provides input on relevant matters.

Legal experts say that if passed, the amendment could significantly alter Pakistan’s power structure, reshaping how judges are appointed and how provincial funding is allocated, issues central to governance and political stability.

The proposed 27th amendment is expected to test both the resilience of Pakistan’s federal framework and the unity of the country’s governing coalition.