The national legislature on Wednesday approved the Constitution (Twenty‑seventh Amendment) Act, 2025, ushering in sweeping changes to Pakistan’s military leadership and judicial architecture amid an opposition boycott of the session.
With 234 votes in favour and just four against, the bill was passed despite the rowdy absence and walk-out of the Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) members who tore copies of the bill in protest.
Presented by the law minister and backed energetically by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the amendment package contains eight major changes, among them: establishing a new post of Chief of Defence Forces to replace the existing top military coordination role, elevating the incumbent army chief’s status, creating a new Federal Constitutional Court with equal provincial representation, and altering appointment and tenure rules for the judiciary.
The ruling coalition argued the reforms were necessary to modernise national defence and streamline constitutional governance. However, legal experts and opposition figures condemned the rapid process and the scale of institutional reshuffling. The judiciary, long considered the final check in Pakistan’s governance system, now faces a markedly reduced role under the amendment.
Opposition dissent reached a dramatic peak when four members of the formerly allied Jamiat Ulema‑e‑Islam (Fazl) voted against the bill while others walked out altogether. Critics say that the timing and style of passage deepen fears of democratic erosion.
The constitutional change further limits the authority of the Supreme Court over constitutional matters, transferring powers to the newly formed court; grants lifetime immunity and privileges to top military officials; and modifies the process for transfer and appointment of high court judges. Many see this as a structural shift in civil-military relations and institutional oversight.
As the amendment will now await final presidential assent, the implications for Pakistan’s governance, judicial independence and federal balance will be closely watched both at home and abroad.
