Draft 27th Constitutional Amendment proposes lifelong Field Marshal rank

ISLAMABAD: The proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, presented in the Senate, has sought amendments to 48 articles of the Constitution of Pakistan.

Under the proposed changes, Article 243 would be amended to dissolve the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and create a new position titled “Chief of Defence Forces”. One of the proposals seeks to uphold the Field Marshal’s rank for life.

It has also been proposed that the power to transfer judges be handed over to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. In the process, both the chief justices of the high courts from which and to which a judge is being transferred will be part of the transfer decision.

The draft amendment also proposes increasing the number of seats in the Balochistan Provincial Assembly and expanding the size of the provincial cabinet, including an increase in the number of cabinet advisers.

Another proposal suggests that elections for the entire Senate be held simultaneously.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet via video link from Baku. The cabinet approved the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, although the agenda did not include ending the provincial shares under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

According to sources, the Senate session will begin shortly, where the constitutional amendment will be presented for approval following the cabinet’s endorsement.

Speaking to the media after the cabinet meeting, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that, in line with the “Charter of Democracy”, the cabinet had approved an amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution under which a constitutional court would be established.

The final decision on approval would rest with Parliament after debate on the proposed amendment, which will be tabled in the Senate today.

He said that there had been extensive debate recently over judicial appointments, and the bill proposes that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan handle the transfer of judges.

Both chief justices involved in a judge’s transfer—from and to a high court — will be part of the process. The retirement age for judges of the constitutional court has been proposed at 68 years.

Tarar said that the recent Pakistan-India war had taught many lessons, and that warfare has evolved in the modern era. He stated that the amendment defines senior positions within the defence establishment.

He said that under the new amendment, it was deemed necessary to include the Field Marshal rank — specifically, whether it should remain for life. Related amendments concerning the command structure of the armed forces would also be sent to Parliament.

He noted that constitutional amendments would only become part of the Constitution after approval by a two-thirds majority in Parliament.