Senate approves 27th Amendment with NA-approved changes

ISLAMABAD: The Senate passed the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill for the second time amid strong protests from the opposition benches.

Announcing the result, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani said the bill received 64 votes in favour and four against.
“The motion is therefore carried by not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the Senate, and consequently, the bill stands passed,” he declared.

Earlier, Senate witnessed heated scenes as lawmakers voted clause by clause on the contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill while opposition senators shouted slogans of “na manzoor” (unacceptable), forcing Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani to repeatedly call for order in the house.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar re-tabled the bill in the Upper House after the National Assembly passed it with certain amendments a day earlier. The legislation, already approved once by the Senate earlier this week, required a fresh vote to incorporate the latest changes.

Opposition questions voting process

As proceedings began, PTI Senator Ali Zafar questioned the legitimacy of a second round of voting on the amendment, noting that a constitutional change needed the support of at least 64 senators to pass. He urged the chair not to count the vote of PTI Senator Saifullah Abro, who had earlier supported the bill against his party’s stance and later announced his resignation.

Zafar argued that Abro’s defection invoked Article 63-A of the Constitution, which automatically disqualifies a lawmaker for voting against the party line. “Counting his vote will raise serious questions over this entire process,” Zafar warned.

In response, Chairman Gilani said Abro’s resignation would be addressed once it was formally received, expressing hope that he might persuade the senator to reconsider his decision.

JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza also voiced anger, claiming that one of his party members, Ahmed Khan, had been “won over” to vote for the bill. He said Khan had been expelled from the party and had no moral or political right to vote in defiance of its position.

Tense scenes in National Assembly

The day before, the National Assembly had passed the revised draft of the 27th Amendment amid noisy protests, torn papers, and a walkout by opposition lawmakers. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his brother Nawaz Sharif, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari attended the sitting, drawing loud slogans from PTI members who accused the government of undermining the Constitution.

At one point, ruling party MNAs formed a human shield around the prime minister as PTI lawmakers attempted to approach the treasury benches. Copies of the bill were thrown towards the prime minister’s chair while the law minister and Bilawal struggled to deliver their speeches.

Despite the chaos, the bill sailed through the lower house with 234 votes in favour, surpassing the required two-thirds majority.

What the bill proposes

The 27th Amendment aims to establish a Federal Constitutional Court and revise certain provisions concerning the command of the armed forces. It also includes changes related to the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

During the debate, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari assured that the PPP would never support any rollback of the 18th Amendment or any move that curtailed fundamental rights. He said the bill was part of fulfilling the long-delayed promises made in the Charter of Democracy.

Opposition vows to challenge

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticised the government for “rushing” the process, accusing it of endangering judicial independence. The Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan alliance also announced a nationwide protest campaign, calling the amendment “a dark chapter in constitutional history”.

Legal experts and retired judges have expressed concern over the implications of the proposed changes for the Supreme Court’s authority, warning that the new Federal Constitutional Court could alter the country’s judicial landscape.