PTBP Web Desk
Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House in the Senate, Ishaq Dar, has affirmed that the federal government is set to introduce the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the Parliament. In a notable move, he stated that he would request the government to present the constitutional amendment in the Senate before taking it to the National Assembly, despite the usual practice of introducing such legislation in the lower house first. The announcement was made during the opening day of the 355th Senate session on Tuesday, marking the beginning of what is expected to be an intense political debate.
Speaking to both treasury and opposition benches, Dar emphasized that the amendment is being introduced officially by the government and will follow all constitutional and legal frameworks. He urged Law Minister Azam Tarar to ensure that the amendment is moved in the Upper House immediately, reflecting the urgency surrounding the matter.
“The 27th Constitutional Amendment is coming. Normally, legislative drafts are placed before the National Assembly first, but if the opposition wishes to review it sooner, I will request that the government move it here first,” Dar said.
While Ishaq Dar did not go into detailed specifics of the proposed amendment during his speech, he confirmed that the document would be forwarded to the relevant Senate committee for in-depth review and debate. He further acknowledged the relevance of recent remarks made by PPP Chairman regarding the amendment, suggesting that the issues highlighted in the public statement closely align with what has been discussed at the political level.
A tweet attributed to President Asif Ali Zardari (who also heads the Pakistan Peoples Party’s central leadership) sparked widespread debate earlier this week. The tweet outlined proposed constitutional changes including:
- Creation of a Constitutional Court
- Revival of Executive Magistracy
- Transfer of judicial powers
- Removal of constitutional protection of provincial shares in the NFC Award
- Changes to Article 243 related to armed forces command
- Returning education and population planning to federal jurisdiction
- Ending the deadlock over appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner
The tweet indicated that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership met President Zardari seeking the PPP’s support for the amendment. The matter is expected to be formally reviewed in the PPP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled for November 6.
The public disclosure of these proposed changes quickly transformed the amendment into a major national issue, stirring reactions across the political spectrum.
Before Dar’s remarks, PTI Parliamentary Leader Senator Ali Zafar delivered a strong speech opposing the proposed amendment. Zafar questioned the transparency surrounding the amendment and alleged that several government officials previously denied its existence on public platforms.
“Either the ministers were misleading the people, or they were themselves unaware. This amendment is coming from elsewhere,” Zafar claimed.
He called on the PPP to support the opposition in rejecting the amendment, arguing that the proposed changes could have far-reaching effects on the federal structure and powers of the provinces.
Zafar also objected to the conduct of the Senate session, pointing out that it was being held without a notified Leader of the Opposition, which, he argued, violates the business rules of the House. He went as far as challenging the legitimacy of the presiding chair’s authority.
Members of the opposition staged a loud protest demanding that Allama Raja Nasir Abbas be immediately notified as the Leader of the Opposition. Presiding chairman Manzoor Kakar conceded that the demand was legitimate but clarified that the authority to notify the position lies solely with the Chairman Senate, not the chair overseeing proceedings.
Despite continuous protest and chanting from the opposition benches, the Senate proceeded to pass four government-backed bills including:
- Qanun-e-Shahadat (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- King Hamad University of Nursing and Associated Medical Sciences Bill, 2025
- Daanish Schools Authority Bill, 2025
- Asaan Karobar Bill, 2025
Additionally, the Virtual Assets Ordinance, 2025 and the Frontier Constabulary (Reorganisation) Ordinance, 2025 were also formally tabled in the House for consideration.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment could reshape Pakistan’s governance and administrative mechanisms significantly. Issues such as provincial rights, judicial independence, and federal authority are deeply sensitive topics tied to Pakistan’s political history and constitutional evolution.
Observers note that the amendment is likely to undergo rigorous debate, both inside the Parliament and across civil society, before any final decision is made. The matter is also expected to affect relations among key coalition parties, particularly between the PML-N and PPP.
