Senate Begins Deliberations on 27th Constitutional Amendment
The Upper House of the parliament commenced its deliberations on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment on Sunday, marking a significant moment in the country’s political landscape. The session was held on a rare occasion with a single-point agenda, focusing solely on the bill for the amendment. The opposition alliance has expressed strong concerns, warning that the changes could lead to widespread protests.
Senate Chairperson Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani presided over the proceedings, which began with a tribute to national poet Allama Iqbal on his birth anniversary. During the session, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Syed Ali Zafar reiterated his party’s firm stance against the proposed amendments. He emphasized that altering the Constitution is akin to “tampering with the foundation of a building,” highlighting the potential risks involved.
Zafar described the Constitution as a contract between the state and the public, emphasizing its unique “spirit.” He argued that the document serves as a pledge ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their region, live according to the laws. “When you make any change in the Constitution, it is equal to tampering with the foundation of a building, and if you make any mistake, the entire building could collapse,” he warned.
The PTI senator also reflected on how the parliament reached the 27th Amendment, pointing out the “slow, gradual but effective erosion of democracy and the Supreme Court.” Zafar urged the House to reject the bill and invited the treasury benches for further discussions. He stressed the importance of consensus when making changes to the Constitution, noting that consensus and a two-thirds majority are distinct concepts.
Zafar claimed that the proposed changes related to provincial shares and rights under the 18th Amendment, which were omitted in the current draft, were a “face-saving for the PPP” to allow certain originally intended amendments to be passed. This assertion sparked a response from PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid, who criticized Zafar for presenting only one side of the picture. Rashid noted that Zafar did not address the efforts to convert the judiciary into a tool of a political party.
Rashid also pointed out that the opposition benches had focused only on the point concerning the judiciary. He expressed hope that opposition members would participate in the meetings of the standing committees to provide input that could be included in their reports and subsequently discussed in the House. He appreciated Senator Hamid Khan for acknowledging controversial court judgments.
PPP Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan commented on the confusion within the PTI, leading to an eruption of responses from the opposition benches. He echoed Rashid’s point that the PTI remained silent on the “real matters,” suggesting there might be something questionable about the proposed changes to Article 243.
Another PTI Senator, Hamid Khan, challenged the government’s approach to amending the Constitution. “Constitutional amendments are not promulgated in this manner. You first reach a consensus and then amend the constitution,” he stated. Khan referred to the 26th Amendment as “the death of the Constitution” and compared the effort to promulgate the 27th Amendment to an “effort to bury the Constitution.”
PTI’s Azam Swati, wearing a black ribbon around his arm, warned that the 27th Amendment would damage the “amazing” 1973 Constitution introduced by Bhutto and other leaders. He highlighted the dismantling of the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction under Article 184(3), stating that Articles 175 and 191 did not compensate for it.
Mohsin Aziz questioned the haste in passing the Amendment, noting that certain “knowledgeable” individuals already knew about the legislation. He defended the speeches given by Zafar and Khan, asserting they were not political. “Do not be in haste. If there are good amendments, we will definitely sit proudly with you and agree on it,” he concluded.