ISLAMABAD: The Senate has passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment with a resounding two-thirds majority, marking a significant political milestone.
A total of 64 senators voted in favor of the amendment, which includes 56 clauses and three schedules, paving the way for the establishment of a constitutional court—a key component of the 2006 Charter of Democracy.
The vote saw strong backing from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and independent senators. PPP contributed 25 votes, PML-N 20, and 6 independent senators also supported the bill.
Other parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), gave their endorsement, with MQM and ANP each providing 3 votes, while PML-Q added 1 vote in favor.
However, the amendment faced strong opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Muttahida Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F). Despite this, two senators—Saifullah Abro from PTI and Ahmed Khan from JUI-F—defied party lines and voted in favor of the amendment.
The approval of the 27th Amendment was marred by protests from opposition senators, who objected to the passage of the bill. During the session, opposition members tore up the agenda papers in a symbolic protest against the government’s move. Despite the chaos, PTI Senator Saifullah Abro did not participate in the opposition’s demonstration, and JUI-F Senator Ahmed Khan stood by the government’s position in favor of the amendment.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui of PML-N and National Party Senator Jan Muhammad Baledi were absent from the session. Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani refrained from casting a vote, while Senator Hamayun Mehmood Memon raised concerns about the presence of National Assembly members during the Senate session.
Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazir Tarar, expressed his gratitude to the senators for their cooperation in passing the amendment, describing it as a critical step toward strengthening the country’s democratic institutions. He emphasized that the creation of a constitutional court, as envisioned in the Charter of Democracy, is central to the amendment.
