The federal government has decided to formally table the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Senate, sources said on Thursday.
According to official sources, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar will submit the draft amendment during the Senate session on Friday.
Once presented, the bill will be referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice for detailed consideration.
The committee will hold special sessions over the weekend to review each clause of the draft, the sources added.
The standing committee is expected to submit its report to the Senate on Monday, after which the amendment will be introduced in the National Assembly.
The final approval of the 27th Amendment is anticipated on November 14, according to parliamentary sources.
The government has reportedly decided to fast-track the amendment process, prompting the weekend sessions of parliamentary committees.
Law Minister Tarar is also expected to brief the Senate on the key provisions of the amendment while presenting it.
The sources said the government wants to complete the process within the set timeframe to secure its approval from parliament with a two-thirds majority.
Meanwhile, political activities have intensified in Islamabad, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif scheduled to hold separate meetings with coalition partners today (Thursday) to seek their support for the proposed amendment.
Due to these consultations, sessions of both the National Assembly and Senate have been postponed.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz Sharif will meet leaders of the PPP, MQM-P, ANP, PML-Q, and BAP, with discussions expected to cover both the situation in Afghanistan and consensus on the 27th Amendment.
The sources said the government has already finalised an initial roadmap for the amendment’s passage — it will be presented in the Senate on Friday and is expected to be approved by the National Assembly on November 14.
To ensure maximum attendance in parliament for the approval of the proposed law, the prime minister has suspended all foreign visits of ministers and lawmakers, instructing them to remain in Islamabad for the upcoming parliamentary proceedings.
Speaking to a private news channel, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said a consensus on the amendment could be reached within two to three days, after which formal legislation will begin next week.
He said the government was considering changes to laws concerning the armed forces, as “defence requirements have evolved.”
He confirmed that discussions were underway regarding Article 243 of the Constitution, which pertains to the command and functions of the armed forces.
The government has maintained that there is no plan to roll back the 18th Amendment, stating that the objective is to align the Constitution with modern defence, judicial, and administrative needs.
According to the sources, the proposed amendment includes provisions for the revival of executive magistracy, revisions to the NFC Award, local government elections, a new procedure for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner, the constitutional tenure of caretaker governments, and the establishment of a Constitutional Court.
The government has also stepped up efforts to secure the two-thirds majority needed for approval in both houses.
A dinner in honour of parliamentarians is scheduled for November 8 at the Prime Minister’s House, to be attended by all coalition party leaders.
Separately, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has convened a Central Executive Committee meeting in Karachi today (Thursday), chaired by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, to review the draft amendment and finalise the party’s stance.
In contrast, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will strongly oppose the proposed 27th Amendment both inside and outside Parliament.
Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said his party would issue a final position after reviewing the draft bill once it is tabled.
