LAHORE (Dunya News) – Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Monday that the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment would be brought before parliament soon, adding that discussions were progressing on key public matters.
Speaking to journalists in Chiniot, he stated that the amendment would focus on local government systems, the National Finance Commission and health-related issues, noting that consultations on these areas were already underway within the government.
Sanaullah told reporters that if consensus is achieved, the government will move forward with formally presenting the amendment to parliament. He added that approving constitutional amendments is the exclusive right of parliament, a power that no institution can invalidate.
During the media interaction, the adviser referenced the recent developments linked to the 27th Amendment, highlighting that additional judicial resignations would have surfaced immediately if more judges had intended to object. He said that it does not befit any judge to involve themselves in political protest, and those who resigned acted out of personal motives.
Parliament recently approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which has now become part of the Constitution. The amendment introduces major structural shifts by establishing the Federal Constitutional Court as a new judicial forum with equal provincial representation. It grants the court suo motu authority on petitions and shifts certain powers from the Supreme Court to the newly formed body.
The amendment also redesigns aspects of military leadership. Under the changes, the Chief of Army Staff will concurrently hold the title of Chief of Defence Forces, creating a unified command role. The ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force and Admiral of the Fleet are now designated as lifetime titles.
The passage of the amendment triggered the resignation of two Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, both of whom submitted letters to President Asif Ali Zardari criticising the changes as a grave assault on the Constitution. Two days later, Lahore High Court judge Shams Mehmood Mirza also resigned, describing his decision as a protest against the newly enacted amendment.
Sanaullah maintained that discussions on judicial privileges will take place, and the Judicial Commission will make the final decision. He reiterated that judges take an oath to uphold the Constitution and parliament’s decisions, underscoring that the legislative process cannot be undermined by institutional disagreements.