The proposed amendment will modify Article 243, which currently states that “The Federal Government shall have control and command of the Armed Forces” and “the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces shall vest in the President.” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that consultations on revising the law governing the armed forces are ongoing, emphasizing that changes are necessary to meet evolving defence needs.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), while rejecting most elements of the 27th Amendment, has expressed conditional support for amending Article 243. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari revealed that proposed changes include renaming the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, creating a new Strategic Forces Command, and awarding the Field Marshal rank to the current army chief following Pakistan’s military success against India earlier this year.
Apart from defence reforms, the amendment also proposes the establishment of a Constitutional Court with seven judges and a retirement age of 68, higher than the Supreme Court’s 65. Justice Aminuddin Khan is likely to be appointed as its first Chief Justice. Additional proposals include executive magistrate appointments, judicial transfers, federation control over education and population planning, and appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The government intends to table the 27th Constitutional Amendment in parliament after completing consultations with coalition partners. The official draft is yet to be released, but key points have already been disclosed.
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