ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet approved the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment during a special session chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who joined the meeting via video link from Baku.
The meeting was attended by senior ministers including Khawaja Asif, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Aurangzeb Khichi, Rana Mubashir, Aun Chaudhry, Dr. Shazra Mansab, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, and Malik Rasheed Ahmed. Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan participated from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar briefed the cabinet on the contents of the draft amendment, while the proposals forwarded by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were also discussed in detail.
Following the meeting, the law minister told reporters that the bill, comprising 48 clauses, would be introduced in the Senate later today under the supplementary agenda. Among its notable provisions is the establishment of a Constitutional Court, a long-standing proposal first outlined in the Charter of Democracy.
The draft also recommends that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan be granted authority over the transfer of judges, addressing recent controversies surrounding the process.
Sources indicated that the PPP has endorsed three of the government’s eight key proposals specifically those pertaining to the command structure of the armed forces, the formation of constitutional courts, and the transfer of judges.
However, differences persist regarding issues such as the NFC Award, appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner, judicial powers for executive magistrates, dual nationality of bureaucrats, and the return of certain ministries to the federal government.
