Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Pakistan Panel Clears Full Draft of 27th Amendment as Government Moves to Drop Immunity Clause

Government acknowledgments of changes reflect negotiations under intense opposition pressure.

Overview

  • Parliament’s Law and Justice committees in both houses approved the full draft of the proposed 27th constitutional amendment, moving the bill to the next legislative stage.
  • The committee’s report on the amendment is scheduled to be presented to the house, with Senator Farooq H. Naek listed to lay it before the chamber.
  • Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the removal of a proposed criminal immunity provision for the prime minister after it came to his attention.
  • PTI parliamentary leader Senator Ali Zafar declared his party’s opposition, arguing the draft would undermine judicial independence through judge transfers and a new constitutional court, claims the government disputes.
  • Opposition figures, including Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, criticized the measure as tailored to benefit individuals, and activist groups announced protest actions and a designated black day following any contested approval.