- Cabinet approves key reforms under 27th Amendment: Tarar
- Says consensus reached on establishment of new constitutional court.
- Amendments on military command to be presented in parliament.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment will be tabled in the Senate today after the federal cabinet approved the draft.
Talking to the media in Islamabad shortly after the cabinet meeting on Saturday, Tarar said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired federal cabinet meeting from Baku to discuss key reforms under the proposed 27th Amendment.
“[The] government will present the 27th Amendment bill in the Senate today,” he said.
“Prime minister consulted with allies to ensure broad support for the legislation,” he said, adding that a consensus was reached on the establishment of the new federal constitutional court.
The law minister further said the transfer of judges will be entrusted to the Judicial Commission, in line with the proposed reforms.
“There have been many objections to judges’ transfers. Transfers will be entrusted to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. If a judge wishes to move from one high court to another, both chief justices of the concerned courts will be part of the committee.”
He further added: “The position of Field Marshal was not included in the Constitution in this way. It is both a rank and a ceremonial honour. Amendments regarding command will also be presented in Parliament.”
Talking about Article 243, Tarar said: “Recent Pakistan-India tensions have taught us many lessons. The nature and strategy of war have completely changed. Appointment procedures and some positions were previously in the Army Act but were not mentioned in the 1973 Constitution. Parallel ranks exist worldwide for Air Chief and Naval Chief.”
The law minister said the cabinet also discussed proposals from political parties, including the Balochistan Awami Party’s request for additional provincial seats and the MQM-P’s local government bill.
The cabinet’s approval of the 27th Amendment draft comes a day after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) supported amending Article 243 and forming a constitutional court while ensuring democratic and civilian safeguards remained intact.
“After our Central Executive Committee meeting, we agreed on three points: amending Article 243, establishing a constitutional court, and managing judges’ transfers through proper consultation,” Bilawal said during a media briefing in Karachi on Friday.
He clarified that judges’ transfers should involve both the outgoing and incoming chief justices as part of the judicial commission.
“We support transfers, provided the relevant high court chief justices are consulted. Authority should not be unilateral,” he added.
