27th amendment will be government led, not ‘parachuting’ anywhere: Dar

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the government’s commitment to introducing the 27th constitutional amendment, stressing that the initiative is entirely government-led and “is not being parachuted in from anywhere.”

Clarifying the government’s position on the proposed amendment and addressing questions about its origins, he stressed that the initiative is entirely government-led. “This amendment belongs to the government and it is the government’s responsibility to bring it forward,” he said while speaking during a Senate session on Tuesday.

“It is not being parachuted in from anywhere – we are discussing it with our allies and will also consult other stakeholders, including legal forums. You never know where a pearl of wisdom may come from that can help make the change even better,” he assured.

He said the proposed amendment could be presented first in the Senate instead of the National Assembly, which is the usual practice. “Usually such matters are introduced in the National Assembly, but if you want to see it sooner, I can request the government to bring it to the Senate first. That way we can go through this and make valuable additions. I am ready for that – there is more professionalism and valuable input in this house,” he noted.

Confirming the government’s commitment, Dar said: “The 27th amendment is coming – there is no doubt whether it will come or not. We will bring it forward in accordance with principles and the law. Members will have full right to express their views, to debate it thoroughly and the amendment will also be referred to the committee. If the committee recommends that it will also be discussed in the House, we have not taken this reservation either. will not be a amendments being rushed through for a quick vote.”

Read: Shehbaz led PML-N delegation approached PPP to support 27th amendment : Bilawal

“I also saw the tweet from (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He is our ally, a politician and the chairman of a major political party – he has every right to express his views. We are following a proper process. Right now we are sitting with our biggest ally, the PPP, and I have already had at least three rounds of legislative discussions with them and they have also held several legislative discussions.”

“The areas identified by Bilawal Sahib are not random. Let me admit that these areas have been discussed in detail. He has not mentioned anything that was not discussed with us. We and the PPP have reached an understanding on certain points and now we are bringing our other allies on board,” Dar said.

He added that other coalition partners including Muttahida Qaumi Movement – ​​Pakistan, Awami National Pakistan and Balochistan Awami Party would also be taken into confidence. “We will consult with all our allies according to the procedure and only then present the final document,” he said.

Assuring opposition Senator Ali Zafar, Dar said, “I want to assure Honorable Ali Zafar that this process will be completely transparent,” while adding that he is assuring the House that whatever the process, it will remain transparent. “As I have said here, we will try to bring the amendment to Parliament as quickly as possible and then the process will follow its proper course.”

He further suggested that the amendment be referred to the Legislative Committee for further consideration. “The committee brings greater focus and wisdom to the process. I would also request that Law Committee Chairman Farooq H Naek invite members of the Law Committee from the other House so that it becomes a joint parliamentary exercise that allows for full participation and meaningful value addition,” he said.

The opposition vows to block the 27th amendment

The opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan has announced that it will not allow the 27th constitutional amendment to be passed, warning that it would have “catastrophic consequences” and could “shake the very foundations of the country.” The statement came after an emergency meeting of the alliance, chaired by its president, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, to discuss the prevailing political situation.

At a press conference after the meeting in Islamabad, former Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser said the opposition had met promptly in response to recent developments surrounding the proposed amendment. “The Pandora’s box opened by the 27th Amendment is deeply alarming,” Qaiser said, criticizing a recent tweet by Bilawal, which he described as “alarming.”

On Monday, Bilawal tweeted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on President Asif Ali Zardari and him and requested PPP’s support to pass the 27th Amendment. He said the proposal includes; creation of Constitutional Court, executive judges, transfer of judges, removal of protection of provincial shares in NFC, amendment of Article 243, return of education and population planning to the federation and breaking deadlock on appointment of ECP.

Qaiser claimed that the PPP was complicit in what he called a “political farce”, claiming that decisions had already been taken behind closed doors and that public hearings were just for show. Referring to the PPP’s legacy, he said: “There was a PPP of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who laid the foundations of the constitution and another under Benazir Bhutto who sacrificed for democracy. However, today’s PPP seems bent on burying democracy.”

He also took on PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif during the press conference and questioned the disappearance of his slogan “Vote ko izzat do” (Respect the vote). “Where is that campaign now?” Qaiser asked. “What is the value of power gained by asking for it? Nawaz Sharif, who once claimed to be the champion of electoral respect, is now silent.”

The PTI leader revealed that the alliance had also shared its recommendations with Imran Khan and would issue a joint statement if a meeting takes place. “We will fight for the supremacy of the constitution and democracy both in parliament and among the people,” he promised.

Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar strongly condemned the proposed constitutional amendments, claiming that “a system of coercion has been imposed in the country for some time.” He argued that basic constitutional protections for citizens were being systematically undermined.

He criticized the proposed change, saying details of it had emerged through a tweet by Bilawal, who warned that it was the kind of measure that would — whether intentionally or not — shake the very foundations of the country.

He argued that if the goal is to establish constitutional courts, there was no need to establish new constitutional courts. “If you want to establish constitutional courts, then what was the need to create constitutional courts in the first place? When you formed constitutional courts through the 26th amendment, you told the entire nation that this would improve the delivery of justice in Pakistan.”

“If justice has not improved, if the people of Pakistan are still deprived of timely justice, why are you creating new constitutional courts? We hear that the retirement age of these judges will be set at seventy years – that means you are creating an incentive, a temptation for judges,” he said.

“You offer rewards to those who follow the government’s line and punish those who dare to rule against it. This change will make the judiciary a system that values ​​obedience over justice,” he added. He further warned against reviving “colonial black laws” that could be used against the judiciary, the media and other institutions.

He also claimed the Electoral Commission was being turned into “a joke”, with new changes planned for its appointments and more provincial powers being moved back to the federal level. “I saw some cabinet members crying during the meeting,” he said. “We have learned nothing from history.”

Khokhar issued a particularly stark warning regarding proposed changes to Article 243, which governs the appointment of the army chief. He argued that the amendment seeks to introduce a new commander-in-chief position, effectively restructuring Pakistan’s civil-military hierarchy.

“This move would completely change the country’s infrastructure,” he said. “Are you handing over the country to someone else? What happened to the idea of ​​civil supremacy? This change would place civil institutions under the establishment and shake the foundations of the nation,” he said.

He promised that the opposition alliance would not allow such a move. “We will mobilize the media, civil society and all democratic forces to resist it. This month is critical – we must prevent this illegitimate parliament from taking such a reckless step.”

Former Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair also urged Nawaz Sharif to publicly oppose both the 26th and 27th Amendments. “I hope he will reject these proposals and persuade his brother to withdraw them,” he said.