PPP Rules Out Any Rollback of 18th Amendment or NFC Award Amid 27th Amendment Talks

KARACHI – November 7, 2025

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Information Secretary Shazia Marri on Thursday firmly stated that the party would not support any attempt to roll back the 18th Constitutional Amendment or alter the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, even if the government sought its backing for the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Speaking to reporters outside Bilawal House in Karachi, Marri said the PPP had always stood for provincial autonomy and would continue to safeguard the rights granted to provinces. “The PPP wants to see the strengthening of the provinces and will never agree to proposals that compromise their rights,” she asserted.

However, Marri said the party was open to considering constitutional amendments that could enhance governance, improve institutional performance, and deliver greater relief to citizens. “If any changes improve the lives of the people, there is no issue in listening,” she added.

The remarks came ahead of a special meeting of the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) called at Bilawal House to deliberate on the government’s proposed amendment. “This meeting was not initially scheduled, but recent developments prompted us to convene it,” Marri explained, adding that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had recently met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a PML-N delegation to discuss the proposals.

According to Bilawal’s November 3 post on X (formerly Twitter), the proposed amendment includes establishing a constitutional court, appointing executive magistrates, transferring judges, amending Article 243, and revisiting the NFC Award, among other changes.

Meanwhile, opposition voices, including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, have denounced the proposed 27th Amendment as an “attack on the House,” warning that any such move without consensus would deepen divisions.

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Responding to these concerns, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry assured lawmakers that the government had no intention of reversing the 18th Amendment, urging political leaders to avoid “false propaganda” surrounding the issue.

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