ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Thursday approved the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill for a second time, despite vociferous opposition protests and allegations of defection. Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani announced that 64 senators voted in favour and four against, securing the required two-thirds majority. “The motion is carried and consequently, the bill stands passed,” Gilani declared after the vote.
The upper house first voted clause by clause before moving to a final division vote. As the proceedings unfolded, opposition senators shouted slogans of “aain ki tabahi, na manzoor” (“destruction of the Constitution, unacceptable”), prompting Gilani to warn, “No slogans, please.”
The bill was initially passed by the Senate earlier this week and approved by the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday with minor amendments. It was brought back to the upper house today for endorsement of the revised clauses. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tabled the bill once again, explaining that it maintained the position of the current Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) until his retirement, after which the senior-most judge of either the Supreme Court or the proposed Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) would assume the title of CJP.
Tarar highlighted that the amendment also modifies Article 6, explicitly barring any court—including the new FCC—from validating the abrogation of the Constitution, a clause he described as a safeguard against martial law.
However, opposition lawmakers questioned the legitimacy of votes cast by senators who allegedly defied party lines. PTI Senator Ali Zafar argued that PTI’s Saifullah Abro and JUI-F Senator Ahmed Khan had voted against their parties during the earlier vote, triggering the application of Article 63-A, which governs disqualification for defection.
Zafar urged that their votes be discarded, warning that “otherwise, we will have to challenge this entire process.” JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza echoed the sentiment, claiming one of his party members had been “won over,” describing the act as a “betrayal of party trust.”
In response, Tarar clarified that under Article 63-A, disqualification requires a formal reference from the party head, followed by a hearing and an Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruling. Until then, a member’s vote remains valid. Gilani confirmed he had received no written resignations from the defecting members.
The Senate’s decision came a day after a chaotic NA session where opposition lawmakers staged noisy protests and a walkout as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari arrived in the chamber. Copies of the bill were torn and thrown toward the treasury benches amid slogans against the ruling coalition. Despite the uproar, the bill cleared the NA with 234 votes in favour and four against.
The 27th Amendment proposes establishing a Federal Constitutional Court, revising the command structure of the armed forces, and formalizing the rank of Field Marshal. Supporters, including PM Shehbaz and Bilawal, hailed it as part of the Charter of Democracy’s long-promised reforms. Critics, however, led by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, condemned it as an assault on judicial independence.
The opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan has since announced a nationwide protest movement, vowing to resist what it calls a “dark and dangerous” amendment that threatens constitutional integrity and the balance of power between institutions.
