Shehbaz Reaches Out to PPP for Support on 27th Amendment
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reached out to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for support on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, which includes the creation of a Constitutional Court and key reforms in Pakistan’s governance and judicial structure.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari confirmed the development on Monday, stating in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation led by PM Shehbaz met President Asif Ali Zardari to request the party’s backing for the amendment.
Key Proposals in the 27th Amendment
According to Bilawal, the proposed amendment introduces sweeping changes to Pakistan’s constitutional and administrative framework. Major points include:
- Establishment of a Constitutional Court to interpret constitutional matters and resolve institutional disputes.
- Amendment to Article 243, which governs the supreme command of the armed forces, potentially revising the president’s role in military appointments.
- Reintroduction of executive magistrates, strengthening the administrative arm of governance.
- Provisions for the transfer of judges, aimed at judicial restructuring.
- Removal of protections related to provincial shares in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
- Return of education and population planning to the federal domain, reversing aspects of the 18th Amendment’s devolution.
- Measures to resolve the deadlock over appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
PPP to Decide Stance After Internal Review
Bilawal announced that the PPP Central Executive Committee (CEC) will meet on November 6 following President Zardari’s return from Doha to discuss the proposed amendment and determine the party’s official position.
He emphasized that the party would carefully evaluate the implications of the proposals, particularly those affecting provincial autonomy and judicial independence.
Context: Building on the 26th Amendment
The federal government’s push for another constitutional revision comes a year after the 26th Constitutional Amendment (2024), which brought major judicial and financial reforms.
That amendment:
- Fixed the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s tenure at three years.
- Established constitutional benches in the Supreme Court and high courts.
- Allowed a parliamentary committee to nominate the new CJP from among the three senior-most judges.
- Empowered the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to oversee judges’ performance.
- Set a January 1, 2028 deadline for the elimination of Riba (interest-based banking) in Pakistan.
Political Implications and Next Steps
The proposed 27th Amendment is expected to spark extensive debate in Parliament, given its implications for civil-military relations, provincial autonomy, and judicial oversight.
Observers note that while the establishment of a Constitutional Court could streamline constitutional interpretation, amendments touching on military appointments and NFC shares may face resistance from opposition parties and provincial governments.
With the PPP’s support seen as pivotal, all eyes will be on the party’s November 6 CEC meeting — a session likely to shape the next phase of Pakistan’s constitutional evolution.
