• Treasury defends 27th Amendment as opposition decries haste, judicial shake-up
• Barrister Ali Zafar warns disturbing ‘balance of five state pillars’ will lead to chaos

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Sunday held a detailed debate on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment in a relatively smooth sitting, except for the exchange of some harsh words, as the opposition did not create any trouble for the treasury benches that it had demonstrated in the past.

Although opposition senators, mostly from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, described the 26th Amendment, passed last year, as a “death” and the proposed 27th Amendment as an attempt to “bury the Constitution”, they neither boycotted proceedings nor staged a protest.

Most of them instead urged the government to hold a detailed discussion before putting the bill to a vote. But opposition parties stayed away from the parliamentary committee on law and justice examining the 27th Amendment.

The rare Sunday session was convened with a one-point agenda to deliberate on the bill, a 26-page draft tabled in the Senate a day earlier amid opposition outcry over its pace and scope, just hours after cabinet approval.

During the session, PTI senators placed photographs of their incarcerated founder Imran Khan on their desks.

Warning of ‘chaos’

PTI parliamentary leader Barrister Ali Zafar warned that disturbing the “balance of five pillars” of the state could lead to “major chaos”.

He feared the proposed Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) would be given “unbridled powers”, which would plunge the system into disorder.

He said that under the proposed amendment, lifetime immunity was being given to the president and four provincial governors, so that no one could question them about what they do during their terms.

PTI senators argued that the amendment would undermine the judiciary and empower the government to transfer any high court judge anywhere in the country.

After presenting his objections, Barrister Zafar urged the House to reject the bill and invited the treasury to further discussions.

Barrister Zafar claimed that controversial proposals relating to provincial shares under the 18th Amendment had been dropped from the current draft as a “face-saving” measure for the PPP so that other intended changes could be passed.

PTI Senator Hamid Khan insisted that the 26th Amendment was death and the 27th would be the “burial of the Constitution”.

He warned that history would not forgive those who had voted for the previous amendment or who are now supporting the new one.

The atmosphere grew heated at one point when the Senate chairman gave PTI’s Faisal Javed the floor and another lawmaker interjected. “Who are you to say this to me when the chairman has allowed me to speak?” Mr Javed shot back.

‘Political tool’

From the treasury benches, PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid regretted that Barrister Zafar had presented just one side of the picture, “which is likeable to them”. He said the PTI leader did not mention anything about the effort in the past to “convert the judiciary into a tool of a political party”.

The PML-N lawmaker said the members from the opposition benches had spoken on just one point of the proposed amendment, which pertained to the judiciary, indicating their acceptance of other clauses.

PPP Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan said PTI lawmakers appeared “confused”, which resulted in loud protests from the opposition benches.

PTI Senator Azam Swati, wearing a black ribbon on his arm, praised the “amazing” 1973 Constitution framed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and other leaders. He stressed that the 27th Amendment would “ruin” it.

PTI’s Mohsin Aziz questioned the “haste” behind the new package, noting that some “informed” individuals already knew that this legislation would be introduced.

Balochistan Awami Party Senator Danesh Kumar questioned why, when amendments were proposed, they did not address the lack of minorities in the federal cabinet.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2025