Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill Tabled Amidst Political Debates
Pakistan’s federal cabinet recently approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was subsequently tabled in the Senate on Saturday. The bill has been referred to the standing committees on law and justice for detailed review and discussion. This significant legislative move aims to introduce several key changes, including the formation of a Federal Constitutional Court, modifications to the process for appointing high court judges, adjustments to provincial cabinet thresholds, and alterations to the military leadership structure.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted that the proposed amendment addresses long-standing constitutional discussions, some dating back 10-15 years. He emphasized the objective of streamlining the judiciary’s workload and ensuring timely relief for the common citizen by establishing a dedicated constitutional court to handle specific constitutional matters. This change also seeks to counter the criticism of a “court within a court” system. While most parties participated in the committee sessions, some, like the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), boycotted, citing concerns that the draft included previously discarded amendments.
Discussions are ongoing, with Tarar affirming that deliberations will continue until a consensus is reached among all members of both houses. Key proposals within the bill include changes to Article 243, which pertains to the armed forces, with discussions around the creation of lifetime titles like “field marshal” for national heroes and the eventual abolition of the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) at the end of the current tenure. The bill also proposes increasing the provincial cabinet threshold from 11% to 13% and addressing the transfer of high court judges by empowering the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. These constitutional reforms are subject to extensive political debate and negotiations to secure widespread support.
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1953879