ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Senator Rana Sanaullah, clarified on Monday that the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment posed no danger to democracy or the political system, calling the ongoing debate around it “unnecessary sensationalism.”
Speaking on Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, Sanaullah said that discussions on the matters raised by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had been underway for months. He added that the government would consult coalition partners before taking any step, ensuring that all constitutional changes are made through consensus.
The amendment proposal, which the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has formally shared with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), aims to establish a Constitutional Court and make changes to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. It also seeks to amend Article 243 — concerning the supreme command of the armed forces — and introduce several other institutional reforms.
According to Bilawal Bhutto, the amendment also includes provisions for reintroducing executive magistrates, regulating the transfer of judges, and revising protections related to provincial shares in the NFC Award.
Sanaullah emphasised that the amendment was still in its early discussion phase. “If an amendment is being introduced, it contains nothing that endangers democracy,” he said, adding that it would be ideal for both the PML-N and PPP to jointly present a consensus document.
He noted that forming a constitutional court had long been part of the Charter of Democracy, signed by the PPP, and that even the PTI had once supported the concept of a constitutional bench. “Our stance from day one has been that a constitutional court should exist to handle matters effectively and sustainably,” he said.
The adviser further stated that the authority to transfer judges should remain with the Judicial Commission and not the government. Addressing fiscal concerns, he said discussions on the NFC Award would reveal “who is satisfied and who is not.”
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spoken twice with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister to ensure consensus, reaffirming that no constitutional amendment would be enacted without complete agreement among stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the former ruling party rejected the proposal, alleging that the amendment would compromise judicial independence and urging the PPP to oppose it.
