Special Report
Karachi: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, leading a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation, met him and President Asif Ali Zardari to seek their support for the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.
According to a PPP statement, the proposal includes the creation of constitutional courts, restoration of executive magistrates, changes related to the transfer of judges, and removal of protection for provincial shares under the National Finance Commission (NFC). It also seeks to amend Article 243, which defines the command of the armed forces.
The proposed amendment further includes transferring the subjects of education and population planning back to the federation and introducing measures to resolve deadlocks in the appointment of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
PPP to Finalize Position After CEC Meeting
Bilawal said the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) will meet at Bilawal House in Karachi after President Zardari’s return from Doha on November 6 to decide the party’s policy on the matter. The meeting will also review the country’s overall political situation.
Government Says Draft Not Yet Finalized
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik confirmed that discussions were underway but said the government had not yet begun drafting the amendment. Speaking to Geo News, Malik said the proposed constitutional courts were part of an “unfinished agenda” and restoring executive magistrates would help ease the judiciary’s workload.
He stressed that population control required a unified national strategy and that education needed greater cohesion to ensure uniform standards across provinces. Malik also noted that the elevation of Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir to the position of Field Marshal should be formally recognized through changes to Article 243.
Regarding the ECP appointments, he clarified that the role of the opposition leader would not be removed but mechanisms to prevent procedural deadlocks were under discussion. He acknowledged that NFC-related changes would require political consensus and said dialogue was ongoing with coalition partners.
Context and Political Reactions
The 26th Constitutional Amendment, passed in October 2024 amid controversy, remains under legal challenge. Despite earlier dismissals of a 27th Amendment as “baseless rumours,” both the PPP and the ruling coalition now appear open to discussions on the proposal.
The matter also featured in Bilawal’s recent meeting with JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, where both leaders discussed legislative coordination and upcoming parliamentary strategies.
Opposition parties, including PTI, have criticised the proposal, while the Islamabad High Court Bar Association has supported the idea of broader judicial reforms, including the nationwide rotation of judges.
