The federal government is poised to introduce the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a sweeping legislative package that proposes the establishment of a new Constitutional Court and significant alterations to the judiciary’s structure, in a move expected to trigger widespread political and legal debate.
The proposed overhaul also includes the revival of Executive Magistrates and a critical change to Article 200, which would eliminate the requirement for a judge’s consent before being transferred between high courts.
Further proposals in the draft legislation seek to amend Article 243, concerning the command of the armed forces, and remove the clause that protects provincial shares in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, a move that could reshape fiscal federalism in Pakistan.
Additionally, the administration plans to restore federal jurisdiction over education and population planning and address the persistent deadlock over appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In a significant political development, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari confirmed that a delegation from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, met with President Asif Ali Zardari to solicit the PPP’s crucial support for the amendment’s passage.
In a statement on the social media platform X, Bilawal outlined the key features of the proposed revision, confirming, ‘A PML-N delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with President Zardari and me to seek our party’s backing for the 27th Constitutional Amendment.’
He further revealed that the legislative changes contain provisions to end the protection for provincial financial shares in the NFC Award, modify Article 243, and bring education and population planning back under federal control.
The PPP’s final position on these far-reaching proposals will be determined by its Central Executive Committee (CEC), which is scheduled to convene on November 6, following President Zardari’s return from Doha, Bilawal added.
The planned 27th Amendment is anticipated to spark extensive discussion within both political and legal spheres, given its profound potential implications for the balance of power between the federation, the provinces, and the judiciary.