Pak law minister tables 27th Constitutional Amendment bill proposing more powers to military

Shortly after the federal cabinet granted its approval, Pakistan's law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tabled the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment before the Senate on Saturday and it was subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice. A joint session of both the National Assembly and Senate standing committees on law and justice was then summoned for 2 pm to discuss the amendment. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had chaired the cabinet meeting via video link from Azerbaijan, reported state-run PTV News. “The federal cabinet approved the draft for the 27th Constitutional Amendment and welcomed it to the fullest extent,” it had added. Shehbaz noted that he had taken PML-N President Nawaz Sharif into confidence for the amendments and sought his guidance on them.

Also Read: After ‘lessons’ in brief conflict with India, Pak plans a unified defence command, may vest more powers in Asim Munir

However, two Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam–Fazl (JUI-F) members, Aliya Kamran and Senator Kamran Murtaza, boycotted the meeting of the standing committees, saying the proposed draft includes the amendments that were discarded in the 26th Amendment bill.

After deliberations on the proposed amendment, the law committees of both Houses were adjourned till Sunday.

The bill proposes the formation of a Federal Constitutional Court, changes in the process for appointing high court judges, changes to the threshold for provincial cabinets, and changes to the military leadership structure.

‘Discussions will continue till consensus is reached’

Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told media after the adjournment of the committees that all parties were participating in the session and they had also “requested the opposition to participate”. Tarar said the “long-awaited” proposed amendment has been in discussion for the last 10-15 years.

“Pakistan is going through very tough circumstances, and I think the country’s greatest need today is political consensus and political stability,” the law minister stressed.

Also Read: Pakistan-Afghan peace talks have collapsed, says Khawaja Asif; no surety on truce

“At the time of the 18th Amendment, it was on the constitutional agenda, and even earlier, during the 26th Amendment, but due to certain reasons, one of which was Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s suggestion that such a major change should not be made and that it would be better to move towards transition and form constitutional benches,” said Tarar.

“All members have reviewed it (proposed constitutional amendment) and we have completed arguments on around 60 per cent of the clauses,” he claimed, while adding that a few questions have been raised by some members, which are legal in nature and “not fundamental” issues.

Talking about Article 243, which provides that the federal government “shall have control and command of the armed forces”, the law minister said that certain clauses were being introduced. He said that Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir had been awarded the title of field marshal. “This is a title, not a rank, not an appointment as such … whereas army chief is an appointment with a five-year tenure,” he said. “Field marshal, or marshal of the air force, admiral of the fleet—these exist in different countries for land, navy, and air force. These titles are for a lifetime,” he said.

‘Govt and its allies in a hurry to pass the bill’

During the Senate session, PTI’s Ali Zafar said that debating the constitutional amendment was not appropriate when the leader of the opposition’s seat is vacant. He said the government and its allied parties appeared to be in a hurry to pass the bill.

“I would suggest that instead of sending it to the committee, let this Senate be treated as a committee as a whole,” he said, suggesting the bill be debated by all individuals. He further said that the opposition had just received the draft and not yet read a word of it.

“We cannot debate something we have not read,” he said.

Also Read: Tehran faces acute water scarcity and energy crisis; mulls rationing, evacuation

The proposed constitutional tweaks have been heavily criticised by lawyers and politicians, who termed them an attempt to revoke provincial rights granted in the 18th Amendment.