ISLAMABAD:The federal cabinet has approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairing the meeting via video link from Baku, Azerbaijan.

The cabinet session was attended by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Musadik Malik, Rana Sanaullah, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Aun Chaudhry, Shazra Mansab, and Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh. Law Minister and Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan were also present.

According to sources, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarrar briefed the cabinet on the amendment, and the proposals submitted by the Pakistan People’s Party were reviewed during the meeting.

Key Highlights of the 27th Amendment

Introduction of the position of Commander of Defence Forces, which, according to reports, will remain with the Chief of Army Staff. Establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court. Provisions for a joint seniority list of High Court judges.

Empowering the Supreme Judicial Commission to transfer judges between High Courts or their regional benches without the consent of the individual judges.

The amendment bill is expected to be presented in the Senate today as part of a supplementary agenda. Sources indicate it may be referred to the Senate’s Law and Justice Committee for further scrutiny.

The Senate session may continue on Sunday, during which detailed discussions on the constitutional amendment are expected.

Approval from the Senate is likely on Monday. Sources have also suggested that opposition parties may stage protests when the bill is presented.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet at 10am today to decide on the approval of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, sources confirmed.

According to insiders, the prime minister will chair the meeting via video link from Baku. The government has reportedly accepted the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) proposals regarding the constitutional changes.

Sources say the federal cabinet is expected to approve the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment during the session.

Meanwhile, the opposition has already rejected the draft. After a joint meeting, opposition parties in the Senate said that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the PPP, and their allied partners are “bulldozing legislation,” adding that the constitutional amendment draft is being kept hidden from them.

Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari briefed the media following a meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), saying the committee agreed on three key points of the proposed amendment.

Bilawal said the PPP will support amendments to Article 243 and favours the establishment of constitutional courts. He added that issues related to the Charter of Democracy must also be revisited.

Bilawal further stated that, under the NFC Award, provincial funds can increase but not be reduced. He stressed that the unfinished agenda of the Charter of Democracy must be discussed, and the party will see whether consensus can be developed on other clauses during the process of the 27th Amendment.