ISLAMABAD – The federal cabinet meeting scheduled to take place today (Monday) to approve the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment has been postponed.
The meeting has been delayed due to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s busy schedule as he is set to leave for Azerbaijan today on an official visit.
The cabinet had planned to review important government matters and proposed constitutional changes. It is anticipated that a new date for the meeting will be announced in the coming days.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment, which was expected to be a focal point of the session, has generated significant interest due to its potential impact on the country’s legal and political framework.
However, with the postponement, the resolution of key governmental issues related to this amendment will be delayed.
A day earlier, the Pakistan Peoples Party has voiced against changes in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award formula in the proposed 27th Amendment.
PPP firmly rejected any alterations to the provinces’ financial share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award while indicating its conditional backing for specific amendments to Article 243, which governs federal control over the armed forces.
In a late-night announcement following a meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) at Bilawal House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari emphasized that the party would not compromise on the financial rights of the provinces. He clarified that while discussions on the government’s proposed constitutional amendments would continue, the PPP “can never agree” to any changes that would affect the provinces’ financial entitlement.
However, the party showed a degree of flexibility by offering conditional support for certain changes to Article 243, which deals with the federal government’s control over the armed forces.
The government has proposed a new military leadership structure, including renaming the Joint Chiefs of Staff, establishing a Strategic Command, and creating a new position of Field Marshal. The PPP leader stated that the CEC has given approval to support these specific changes alone, while withholding broader support for other constitutional reforms.
