The federal government is set to present the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday, a day after the legislation was approved by the Senate with a two-thirds majority.
A notification issued by the NA Secretariat confirmed that Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar will table the bill, which is expected to draw heated debate similar to Monday’s tumultuous proceedings.
Heated Scenes in National Assembly Session
Monday’s NA session was marked by loud protests and slogan chanting from both treasury and opposition benches, forcing several interruptions. PPP MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, while addressing the house, defended the constitutional immunity for the president, calling it a “standard practice worldwide.”
However, opposition lawmakers from the PTI disrupted his speech with slogans of “Go Zardari Go” and “Long Live Imran Khan”, while referring to Ashraf as “Raja Rental.” In response, the former prime minister criticized the opposition’s behavior, accusing them of creating chaos rather than contributing to meaningful debate.
Taking the floor later, JUI-F MNA Aliya Kamran questioned the urgency behind passing the amendment, saying, “All stakeholders were not consulted — this process feels rushed.” Meanwhile, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi lauded the army chief for his leadership, saying the country owed its global respect to “his efforts and the sacrifices of our martyrs.”
Senate Passage and Committee Review
Earlier in the day, the Senate passed the 27th Amendment Bill after approving all 59 clauses, with 64 votes in favor. The opposition staged a noisy protest before walking out, allowing the government to secure a smooth vote.
The bill—introduced by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and presided over by Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani—was cleared following a report by Senator Farooq H. Naek, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice. The legislation proposes the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) and formally includes the Field Marshal (five-star) rank in the Constitution through an amendment to Article 243.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also attended the joint committee meeting, confirmed that all key amendments were mutually approved. However, proposals by the MQM to amend Article 140 (local governments) and by the ANP to rename Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were deferred for further consultation.
The bill’s passage in the Senate marks a major step toward reshaping Pakistan’s judicial and military command structure. With the government’s solid majority in the National Assembly, the 27th Constitutional Amendment is expected to be approved without major hurdles.
