Islamabad, November 13, 2025: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday gave assent to the long-debated 27th Constitutional Amendment, following its approval by both houses of Parliament, officially making it part of the Constitution.
A notification issued by the President’s House stated, “The Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2025 is assented to, as advised by the Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif], at Para-5 of the Summary.”
The development came shortly after the Senate approved the amendment, following changes earlier passed by the National Assembly (NA) amid noisy opposition protests.
Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the constitutional amendment bill in the Senate, which received 64 votes in favour and 4 against, surpassing the required two-thirds majority in the 96-member upper house.
Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani announced, “So the motion is carried by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the Senate, and consequently, the bill stands passed.”
The bill had initially been introduced in the Senate on Monday, approved the same day, and subsequently sent to the National Assembly for amendments. The NA passed the bill with 234 votes in favour and four against, incorporating eight key changes aimed at clarifying the positions of top judicial officers.
Key changes in the amendment
The 27th Amendment fine-tunes the structure of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), redefines titles and ranks of the country’s highest judges, and removes several oath-related clauses previously proposed by the Senate draft.
Notable revisions include:
- Clause 2: Modifies Article 6(2A) concerning high treason, explicitly including the Federal Constitutional Court within its ambit.
- Clause 2A: Updates Article 10(4) on preventive detention, inserting the term “Supreme Court” in the explanatory portion.
- Deletion of oath-related provisions: Clauses 4, 19, 51, and 55 — which sought to transfer authority for administering oaths from the Chief Justice of Pakistan to the Chief Justice of the FCC — were removed.
- Clause 23: Amends Article 176, ensuring the incumbent Chief Justice remains the Chief Justice of Pakistan during his term.
- Clause 56: Defines the Chief Justice of Pakistan as “the senior among the Chief Justice of the FCC and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,” establishing a clear judicial hierarchy.
The amendment also clarifies the military command structure, including changes to the role of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, which will be abolished after the retirement of the current chairman.
Parliamentary support
The amendment required a two-thirds majority in the 336-member National Assembly. The ruling coalition comfortably secured the necessary votes, with backing from PML-N (125 seats), PPP (74), MQM-P (22), PML-Q (4), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (4), PML-Z (1), Balochistan Awami Party (1), and National Peoples Party (1). Only four lawmakers from JUI-F, formerly a coalition partner, voted against the amendment.
Significance and implications
The 27th Constitutional Amendment represents a major overhaul of Pakistan’s judicial and military frameworks. By establishing the Federal Constitutional Court, clarifying judicial hierarchies, and adjusting the chain of military command, the amendment aims to modernize governance structures while addressing ambiguities in the oath-taking and constitutional authority of top officeholders.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the approval, thanking ministers and parliamentarians for their support, while opposition parties staged walkouts and voiced concerns over the changes.
With the President’s assent, the amendment is now law, setting the stage for implementation of the revised judicial and military structures across the country.
