ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday rubbished the notion that the status of incarcerated former premier Imran Khan had any bearing on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s withdrawal of proposed immunity for the top office as part of the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Government senators Anusha Rahman and Khalil Tahir Sandhu had tabled a proposal for the 27th Amendment bill to extend the immunity currently enjoyed by the president under Article 248 of the Constitution to include the prime minister.

The clause sought to extend presidential immunity to the prime minister, effectively barring criminal proceedings against the premier during the term in office.

Article 248 of the Constitution stipulates that “no criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the president or a governor in any court during his term of office”.

However, PM Shehbaz had ordered the clause’s withdrawal on Sunday, saying that the premier must remain “fully accountable”.

Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had said that PM Shehbaz told him earlier that “he had no interest in getting immunity”, owing to the executive nature of his role as the prime minister.

Questioned in an interview on a Geo News show about speculation that the clause was withdrawn because it could potentially benefit the PTI founder, Mr Sanaullah said: “No. If we had intended to do this, we could also have done it in a way that the benefit would apply only from today.” He said the prime minister made a very “democratic” decision and he should be congratulated for it.

The premier’s aide added that the premier’s office was not a constitutional one but an executive and elected office, thus “it should remain answerable to the people”.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2025