ISLAMABAD – The Senate of Pakistan has officially approved the new amendments to the 27th Constitutional Amendment with a two-thirds majority. The vote took place during a session chaired by Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, where the new text of the amendment was presented for approval.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced the updated draft of the 27th Amendment in the Senate. After discussions, the amendments were approved clause by clause. The session witnessed protests from opposition members, who raised slogans and banged their desks in protest, voicing their opposition to the proposed changes. Despite these disruptions, the Senate continued with the approval process.
Opposition protests in Senate
As Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the amendments, opposition senators strongly objected to the changes. They staged protests by banging desks and chanting slogans, including “No to the destruction of the judiciary.” Senate Chairman Gilani intervened, urging the opposition to refrain from shouting slogans and allowing the proceedings to continue.
In response to the amendments, PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) lawmakers, including Flak Naz, Mirza Afridi and Faisal Javed, held a protest in front of the Chairman’s desk. PTI members also chose to abstain from voting on the amendments.
The voting process proceeded despite the protests. Senator Saifullah Abro and Senator Ahmed Khan voted in favor of the amendments, while four JUI-F members voted against the bill. In total, 64 votes were cast in favor of the 27th Amendment, with 4 votes in opposition.
Following the vote, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani announced the results, confirming that the amendments had passed with a two-thirds majority, as required by the Constitution.
Key provisions of the 27th Amendment
Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted several significant changes under the newly approved amendments, including the following:
The senior-most judge between the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court will be appointed as the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
The President’s oath and the Election Commission’s oath will both be administered by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
These changes are part of broader reforms aimed at enhancing the structure and functioning of Pakistan’s judiciary.
National Assembly approval
Earlier in the day, the National Assembly also approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment with a two-thirds majority. During the session, opposition members tore up copies of the bill and staged a protest in front of the Speaker’s desk. Despite the protests, the government was able to secure the required 234 votes, surpassing the minimum threshold of 224 votes needed for approval.
The amendment included eight new provisions, one of which modifies Article 6, Clause 2. This change ensures that no court can legitimize acts of high treason. The amendment also adds the term Constitutional Court alongside High Court and Supreme Court in the relevant constitutional clauses.
Under the new amendments, the current Chief Justice will retain the title of Chief Justice of Pakistan until the end of their term. Afterward, the senior-most judge of either the Supreme Court or the Federal Constitutional Court will be appointed as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Cabinet meeting to approve legal changes
In response to the approval of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the Federal Cabinet has called an urgent meeting to approve necessary changes to existing laws. These adjustments are in line with the newly passed amendments, which are expected to bring about significant legal reforms in Pakistan’s governance and judicial system.
The cabinet’s decisions will be closely monitored, as they will outline the practical implementation of these constitutional changes.
27th Constitutional Amendment sails through NA with Two-Thirds Majority
