Islamabad — According to Express News, the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill has been obtained, revealing extensive constitutional changes spread across 48 clauses and 25 pages. The bill is designed to take effect immediately once passed, signaling one of the most ambitious reform packages in recent years.
At the heart of the proposal is the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court, which would replace references to the Supreme Court in several key articles. The court is expected to consist of seven judges, with eligibility criteria including Pakistani citizenship, a maximum age of 68 years, and at least 20 years of legal experience. Judges from High Courts with seven years of service would also qualify. The Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court would serve a three‑year term, and the court’s permanent seat would be in Islamabad.
The Judicial Commission would be restructured to include senior judges from both the Supreme Court and the new Constitutional Court. The Chief Justices of both courts would jointly nominate judges for temporary appointments of up to two years. This change is aimed at balancing judicial authority between the two institutions.
Another major proposal is the abolition of suo motu powers under Article 184, effectively curtailing the Supreme Court’s authority in initiating cases on its own. Public interest cases currently pending before constitutional benches would automatically be transferred to the new Federal Constitutional Court.
On the defense side, amendments to Article 243 stipulate that the President will appoint the Chief of Army Staff on the Prime Minister’s advice, with the Army Chief also serving as Chief of Defense Forces. The post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee would be abolished, while honorary ranks such as Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet would remain lifelong titles.
The draft also proposes changes to Senate elections, judicial jurisdiction, and government expenditure references. Importantly, decisions of the Federal Constitutional Court would be binding on all courts, including the Supreme Court, but Supreme Court rulings would not apply to the Constitutional Court itself.
If enacted, the amendment would mark a historic shift in Pakistan’s constitutional framework, reshaping both the judiciary and defense command structures while redefining the balance of power between courts.