Elected prime minister is accountable to law, people: PM Shehbaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment seeking to grant immunity to the office of the Prime Minister from legal proceedings.

In a statement issued upon his return from Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister said he learned that some senators from his own party had introduced the clause in the Senate, despite it not being part of the draft approved by the federal cabinet.

“On my return from Azerbaijan, I have been informed that some senators of my party have presented an amendment regarding the immunity of the Prime Minister in the Senate, which was not included in the cabinet-approved draft,” Shahbaz said.

“Thanking the esteemed senators for their sincerity, I have instructed them to immediately withdraw this amendment,” he said, adding, “As a matter of principle, an elected Prime Minister must remain fully accountable, both before the court of law and the people.”.

The direction comes as the Joint Parliamentary Committees on Law and Justice resume deliberations today on the broader 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill 2025, which includes proposals on judicial reforms, parliamentary powers, and federal–provincial relations.

The in-camera meeting, chaired by Senate Standing Committee Chairman Farooq H Naik, will also be attended by National Assembly Standing Committee Chairman Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk. According to parliamentary sources, members have been instructed to conduct a clause-by-clause review of the bill, assessing the constitutional, legal, and administrative implications of each provision.