ISLAMABAD: After two consecutive days of detailed discussions, the joint parliamentary committee of the Senate and National Assembly on Law and Justice approved the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment on Sunday.
A report on the proposed amendment has also been finalised and will be presented in the Senate on Monday, with its presentation in the National Assembly likely the same day.
The joint session, co-chaired by Senators Farooq H. Naek and Mehmood Bashir Virk, was convened to review and finalise the draft of the amendment. The meeting was attended by Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister of State for Railways and Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, PPP leader Naveed Qamar, and several other members.
While Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) had boycotted the previous day’s proceedings, one of its representatives attended Sunday’s session. However, members of the PTI, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), and Sunni Ittehad Council continued their boycott and did not participate.
The committee’s work was divided into two sessions. During the first session, members approved amendments to Article 243, as well as provisions for establishing a constitutional court and other key clauses, paving the way for judicial reforms.
An amendment extending the time frame for pending case decisions from six months to one year was also approved. Under the new provision, any case remaining inactive for a year will be considered disposed of. Additionally, a clause granting lifelong immunity to the President of Pakistan received approval.
Following a short recess, the second session lasted over two hours, during which members gave final approval to the complete draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The committee will now submit its report to the upper house.
Government coalition partners presented three additional amendments, while the Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan National Party (BNP), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also put forward their proposals. Some were deferred for further discussion, while others were rejected.
Confirming the development, Senator Farooq H. Naek said that the draft had been approved with certain changes incorporated during deliberations. “The Law Minister and I have been authorised to make minor modifications where necessary,” he stated.
When asked by journalists about the immunity clause for President Asif Ali Zardari, Naek responded, “The amendment hasn’t even been passed yet — why are you getting upset already?”
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar expressed satisfaction, saying it was encouraging that members had reached consensus on the proposed amendments. “Everything, including Article 243, has been agreed upon. The report will be presented in the Senate tomorrow,” he remarked, calling it “a positive step for the country.”
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar indicated possible progress on MQM’s proposals, noting that the report would be tabled in the Senate on Monday at 11:30 a.m. He added that the amendment was expected to pass with a majority vote and could also be presented in the National Assembly later the same day.
Tarar further stated that most clauses of the amendment bill had been finalised, while a few newly received proposals were still under discussion. He confirmed that consultations were held on a possible name change for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that suggestions from the MQM and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) were under review.
“The ANP and BAP will consult their leaderships before reaching a final decision,” he added.
It is worth mentioning that a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament — 64 votes in the Senate and 224 in the National Assembly. The opposition, which currently holds 30 seats in the Senate, is expected to oppose the amendment.
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