The Senate session is under way as legislators gather at Parliament House for the Prime Minister’s breakfast reception in honour of coalition parties ahead of the vote on the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The gathering at the Parliament House Banquet Hall brings together key Senators, while the Prime Minister will meet them to thank them for their support of the amendment.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar is expected to brief the attendees on the amendment’s key points.
Senators began arriving today for the event, which also includes members of the federal cabinet such as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
The breakfast menu features chapati, naan, halwa, fried eggs, omelettes, potato bhaji, lassi, cold beverages and mineral water.
Key Features of the Proposed Amendment
The draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, unanimously approved by the Joint Parliamentary Committee of the Senate and National Assembly, outlines major reforms to the military structure and judiciary.
Under the proposal, a new post of Chief of Defence Forces will replace the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee by November 27, 2025. The amendment also proposes creating a Federal Constitutional Court and restructuring judicial appointments and transfers.
A significant part of the draft includes a clause granting the president lifetime immunity from prosecution and arrest, even after leaving office.
This was added following demands by the Pakistan Peoples Party during committee deliberations, inserting language into Article 248 to extend protection against criminal proceedings for the president for life, and limiting similar protection for governors to their term in office.
Summary of Major Changes
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Under Article 243, senior military appointments will be consolidated: the President, advised by the Prime Minister, will appoint the Chief of Army Staff as Chief of the Defence Forces, abolishing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
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Article 200 is amended so the President may transfer High Court judges on the Judicial Commission’s recommendation; a judge refusing transfer “shall be deemed to have retired”.
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A new Federal Constitutional Court will be established under Part VII, with equal provincial representation, original jurisdiction over constitutional disputes and a Chief Justice serving a three-year term and retiring at age 68.
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The amendment also abolishes Articles 184, 186 and 191A, removing long-standing powers of the Supreme Court and altering the process for judicial referrals and constitutional interpretation.
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