The federal government is set to introduce the 27th Constitutional Amendment in Parliament, a move that has ignited a fierce nationwide debate amid concerns that the proposed legislation could roll back provincial powers granted under the landmark 18th Amendment.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the announcement during a session of the Senate on Tuesday. He assured the upper house that the administration would present the constitutional changes strictly in accordance with legal and procedural norms.
“The amendment will be referred to the relevant standing committees as per parliamentary rules,” Senator Dar stated, promising a thorough and comprehensive debate on the matter. He further suggested that the legislative process for this particular constitutional overhaul should begin in the Senate.
In his remarks, Dar revealed that initial consultations regarding the proposed changes had already taken place with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He confirmed that discussions with other coalition partners would commence shortly, emphasizing that “the entire process will be carried out transparently.”
The Foreign Minister also acknowledged a recent tweet by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, confirming that the matters mentioned by him had indeed been a subject of discussion between the parties. The debate intensified after the PPP claimed the government had sought its support for the amendment.
To foster broader consensus, Dar proposed that the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice invite its counterparts from the National Assembly for a joint discussion. However, the proposed constitutional alterations have drawn sharp criticism, with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announcing it will strongly oppose the measure.