ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has disclosed that a delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, met President Asif Ali Zardari and himself to seek the PPP’s support for the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.
In a post on social media platform X, he revealed details of the meeting and shared key points from the proposed amendment, which, he said, aims to introduce far-reaching constitutional changes — including the establishment of a Constitutional Court, restoration of executive magistrates, and transfer of powers over judicial appointments.
He added that the proposal also seeks to remove safeguards protecting provincial shares in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, amend Article 243, and restore education and population planning to the federal domain. “It further aims to resolve the deadlock over appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP),” Bilawal stated.
The PPP chairman said the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting has been scheduled for Nov 6, following President Zardari’s return from Doha, to deliberate and decide the party’s position on the amendment.
Quoting his post on X, Bilawal said: “A PMLN delegation headed by PM Shehbaz Sharif called on President Asif Ali Zardari and myself. They requested PPP’s support in passing the 27th Amendment. The proposal includes establishing a Constitutional Court, reviving executive magistrates, transferring judges, removing protection of provincial shares in the NFC Award, amending Article 243, returning education and population planning to the Federation, and breaking the deadlock on ECP appointments. PPP’s CEC will meet on November 6 upon the President’s return from Doha to decide party policy.”
Later, the PPP Secretariat confirmed that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had formally summoned the CEC meeting for Thursday, Nov 6, at Bilawal House, Karachi. The meeting will review the overall political situation in the country along with the contents of the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik said the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment was expected to introduce major structural changes, including an amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution to formally recognise the position of Field Marshal, conferred upon the Army Chief following key military operations.
The amendment aims to give constitutional cover to the Field Marshal designation and enshrine it within Pakistan’s constitutional framework. The proposed amendment also seeks to establish constitutional courts, restore executive magistrates’ powers at the district level, and introduce the possibility of a uniform national curriculum across the country.
Barrister Aqeel, while speaking to Geo News, confirmed that discussions on the 27th Amendment are ongoing, though formal drafting has not yet begun. He explained that the primary intent behind amending Article 243 is to recognise the Field Marshal position granted to the Army Chief “after the success of the Maraka-e-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and to safeguard it within the constitutional order.
Barrister Aqeel reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding the integrity and independence of the judiciary, saying ongoing reforms aim to strengthen the judicial system’s effectiveness.
Speaking to a private news channel, he dismissed misconceptions about the government’s intentions, clarifying that “a false impression is being spread that the government wants to appoint its own judges.”
He said the 26th Constitutional Amendment is focused solely on legal and judicial reforms, adding that the proposed judicial package “is meant to improve the system, nothing more.”
Responding to criticism from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Aqeel Malik said the party “has made it a habit to find negativity even in positive steps,” though he welcomed constructive criticism that contributes to reform.
He stated that the government was working to build political consensus on the 27th Constitutional Amendment, stressing that “whenever it is introduced, it will be brought forward with consensus.”
As the PMLN-led coalition government prepares to table the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the National Assembly, it appears well-positioned to pass the legislation with a two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament.
According to parliamentary calculations, the government requires 224 votes out of a total 336 seats in the National Assembly to pass a constitutional amendment — a target that now seems achievable due to the coalition’s expanded strength, particularly after the increase in reserved seats.
Government sources said that once the PMLN and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaderships reach a consensus on the proposed constitutional changes, the government will also bring the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on board to ensure smooth passage.
Currently, the PMLN holds 125 general seats and 39 reserved seats, giving it a total of 164 members in the House. With coalition partners, the government currently enjoys the support of around 237 MNAs — well above the required threshold.
The PPP has 74 MNAs, including 19 on reserved seats, while the MQM holds 22 seats (including five reserved). The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) has five MNAs, Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP) has four, and PML-Zia, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and National Party hold one seat each. In addition, four independent MNAs are aligned with the government.
Meanwhile, the JUIF, registered with the Election Commission as JUI-Pakistan, has 10 MNAs but is no longer considered a decisive factor in the government’s legislative arithmetic.
However, insiders said the PMLN leadership remains keen to build maximum political consensus on the 27th Amendment before introducing it in Parliament, in order to ensure smooth passage and avoid controversy.
As far as party position in Senate is concerned, PPP has 26 members, followed by PMLN with 20, Balochistan Awami Party 4, MQM 3, the National Party and PML one member each, whereas there are six independents, including Mohsin Naqvi and Faisal Vawda, who are poised to vote for the constitutional amendment. This brings their collective strength to 61, while out of the 96-membr House, the treasury needs mandatory magical number of 64 for the legislation, as it requires a two-thirds majority.
The ruling coalition would have to seek support of either JUIF, which now has seven members in the Senate, or of Awami National Party, which is represented by three members - needless to say - both are opposition parties. As for the ANP, it had supported the 26th Constitutional Amendment and this weakens JUIF’s bargaining position, in case, it is approached by the government for support.
The opposition, besides JUIF, has on its side, PTI with 14 members as per the Senate website, whereas, six independent members, backed by it, also made their way to the House in the recent Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa polls to fill 11 Senate seats. MWM and Sunni Ittehad Council with one member each are also part of the opposition.
PTI-backed Khurram Zeeshan, who got elected in place of Syed Shibli Faraz, on October 30, is expected to take oath as senator on November 4, when the Senate meets for its opening sitting of the new session.
Interestingly, out of six PTI-backed candidates from KP, Murad Saeed has not yet taken oath as senator and it is not clear, whether or not, he will formally become member of the House before the 27th amendment is taken up.
However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Asad Qaiser Monday rejected the PMLN’s proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, saying the tweak would “abolish the independence of the judiciary”.
Speaking exclusively to Geo News, Qaiser said that his party was ready to hold talks with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on the “restoration of the Constitution” and the NFC Award.However, he said the PTI was against the establishment of a Constitutional Court, similar to its opposition to the constitutional benches in the 26th Amendment.
Qaiser, who has also served as the speaker of the National Assembly, said that the proposed 27th Amendment would “completely abolish the independence of the judiciary”.The PTI leader said that he had introduced an amendment to include a provision for appeal in the high court after conviction from the military courts.
Describing the PPP as the founder and central force behind the 1973 Constitution and the 18th Amendment, he said that both the Constitution and the constitutional tweak were framed through consensus.
Qaiser warned of “chaos in the country” if the NFC Award was tampered with in the proposed amendment, saying that smaller provinces were already complaining of not receiving their due share.
He asserted that the PTI stood ready to hold talks with the PPP if the party took a stand against the 27th Amendment. “We still hope that the PPP would play its role in protecting the Constitution,” he added.
The former NA speaker urged the National Assembly speaker to announce the opposition leader and “remain neutral”.Qaiser noted that appointments to Election Commission positions could only be made after the appointment of the opposition leader to the lower house.
PTI Senator Ali Zafar termed the federal ministers’ statements about the 27th Amendment regrettable, saying that they “kept lying” about it. “If the government wants to introduce a constitutional amendment, it should discuss it in the parliament,” he said during his appearance on Geo News programme “Capital Talk”.
Senator Zafar maintained that the proposed amendment was aimed at tampering with presidential powers and the NFC Award.The PPP has “always considered the 18th Amendment a trophy”, he said, adding that the PTI would want to see its position on the amendment.
Meanwhile, highly placed parliamentary sources told The News here Monday evening that 27th Constitutional Amendment is likely to be tabled before parliament later this week.
An extraordinary session of the National Assembly is summoned tomorrow (Wednesday), while Senate session is also summoned separately today (Tuesday).The sources said that the Senate will deliberate on the amendment first and once it is passed by it, the draft would be placed in the National Assembly immediately after that.
