ISLAMABAD, Nov. 11 — The Senate on Monday passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill with a two-thirds majority after 64 lawmakers voted in favour, while the opposition staged a noisy protest and walked out of the chamber.
The bill — tabled by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and presided over by Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani — was approved following clause-by-clause consideration and a division vote, with both entry and exit gates sealed during the process.
Opposition members tore up copies of the bill and chanted slogans before leaving the house, clearing the way for the legislation’s passage. The move followed defections by two opposition senators, enabling the government to secure the required two-thirds support.
جمعیت علمائے اسلام پاکستان نے پارٹی ڈسپلن کی خلاف ورزی کرتے ہوئے 27ویں آئینی ترمیم کے حق میں حکومتی بل کو سپورٹ کرنے پر سینیٹر احمد خان کو پارٹی سے خارج کر دیا ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/1Dr5kH1KPA
— Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan (@juipakofficial) November 10, 2025
The controversial bill — which proposes the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) and introduces provisions relating to judicial appointments, immunity for top offices, and the creation of a five-star military rank — has drawn mixed reactions across the political spectrum.
Shortly after the vote, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar hailed the legislation as “historic,” calling it the “unfinished agenda” of the 2006 Charter of Democracy. He said the amendment sought to bring balance among state institutions and reaffirmed that seniority among existing Supreme Court judges would not be affected.
Earlier, Senator Farooq H. Naek, chairing the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, presented a report detailing revisions made after two days of deliberations. These included reducing the eligibility for FCC judges from seven to five years and ensuring equal provincial representation.
Following its passage in the Upper House, the bill now moves to the National Assembly, where the ruling coalition holds a comfortable two-thirds majority.
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Meanwhile, opposition parties vowed to resist the legislation, accusing the government of undermining institutional autonomy. PTI Senator Ali Zafar said the bill granted “unconstitutional immunity,” while Information Minister Ataullah Tarar defended it as necessary for “good governance and constitutional reform.”
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