Islamabad : The Senate has given its final approval to the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2025, which had earlier been cleared by the National Assembly. The bill was approved after five clauses were excluded and three others were modified from a total of 59 before its adoption. The legislation, introduced by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, underwent a detailed two-step voting process—first by division and then clause by clause.
In its final version, the bill saw the removal of clauses 4, 19, 22, 51, and 55. Meanwhile, Clause 53 and its related sub-clauses were revised and reintroduced as part of the Senate’s efforts to refine the proposed changes. During deliberations, Senators Syed Ali Zafar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Kamran Murtaza of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam–Fazl (JUI-F) voiced their opposition to the bill, arguing that two defecting members from their parties, who had already announced their resignations, should not have been allowed to participate in the voting process.
In response to their objections, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar acknowledged the legal credentials of both senators but emphasized that the scope of Article 63-A should remain limited to constitutional interpretation. He clarified that party references against lawmakers are valid only in three specific circumstances: when a member votes contrary to party policy in the election of a Prime Minister or Chief Minister, during a vote of no-confidence, or on a finance or constitutional amendment bill. Tarar explained that a party leader could issue a formal declaration against a member, which would be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for a hearing. The affected member retains the right to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. He emphasized that a legislator cannot be disqualified simply for disagreeing with a vote and warned against distorting constitutional provisions for political gain.
He reiterated that under Article 63-A, the declaration, hearing, and final verdict rest entirely with the Election Commission, and until the process is concluded, the member remains legally active in the House. Tarar also stressed the importance of upholding the Constitution both in letter and spirit, and cautioned against weakening parliamentary norms by selectively interpreting the law.
Leader of the House Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar told the chamber that the changes sent back by the National Assembly were essentially “corrections and clarifications.” He acknowledged Senator Ali Zafar’s legal expertise but noted that constitutional debates must take into account historical and political context. Dar pointed out that some members who were now citing procedural flaws had previously disregarded rules during a no-confidence vote, asserting, “two wrongs do not make a right.” He further explained that seven of the eight amendments returned by the National Assembly were technical in nature, while one important revision strengthened Article 6, explicitly barring any court—including the proposed Federal Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, or the High Courts—from endorsing or validating any attempt to abrogate or subvert the Constitution.
In conclusion, Ishaq Dar emphasized that constructive legislative debates require patience and continuity. He thanked both the government and opposition benches for their contributions and announced that the 27th Constitutional Amendment had now completed its passage through both Houses of Parliament, marking a significant milestone in the country’s constitutional development.
