Leader of the House in Senate, Mohammad Ishaq Dar here on Monday congratulated the Chairman Senate and members of the House on the passage of the Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2025, terming it a historic achievement that fulfilled an unfinished commitment of the Charter of Democracy (CoD).
Taking the floor after the bill’s passage, Senator Dar, said the amendment had been part of the CoD signed in 2006 by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, later endorsed by all major political parties, and that its approval reflected the unity and maturity of Parliament.
“This is not a new idea. The foundation was laid in 2006 when Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif signed the Charter of Democracy,” he said, adding that the concept of a Federal Constitutional Court and balanced civil-military relations had been part of that agenda.
He recalled that the CoD was endorsed by all major political leaders of the time, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and Imran Khan, noting that the amendment fulfilled a national commitment agreed upon two decades ago.
Senator Dar also expressed gratitude to all political parties for their support, particularly those who “voted with their conscience for Pakistan’s constitutional balance and institutional stability.”
“This amendment is a testament to parliamentary maturity, cooperation and unity under the 1973 Constitution,” he said, praising Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar and his team for their tireless efforts in building consensus.
The Leader of the House explained that the newly established Federal Constitutional Court would provide equal representation from all provinces and the Islamabad High Court, ensuring fair provincial participation and reducing the constitutional case backlog.
He clarified that the seniority of sitting judges, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan, would remain protected under the new provisions.
Senator Dar highlighted that the joint meeting of the Senate and National Assembly Standing Committees on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Farooq H. Naek and MNA Chaudhry Bashir Virk, had incorporated constructive changes relating to judicial appointments, transfer of judges, revenue stay orders and presidential immunity.
He said the Judicial Commission of Pakistan would now include a technocrat, a woman or a non-Muslim member, while judges declining transfer would be entitled to a hearing before the Supreme Judicial Council.
He noted that broader discussions on population management, education curriculum standards, NFC award revisions and provincial representation would continue in future stages of constitutional review, reflecting the spirit of cooperative federalism.