Rana Sanaullah confident 28th Constitutional Amendment will be passed by parliament

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, announced that the government plans to introduce the 28th Constitutional Amendment soon, expressing confidence that it will be passed by parliament.

Speaking to journalists, Sanaullah said the proposed amendment would focus on local governments, health matters, and the National Finance Commission (NFC). He added that discussions on these issues are already ongoing and that the government could formally present the amendment once consensus is reached.

The announcement comes shortly after the ruling coalition passed the 27th Amendment, which brought sweeping changes to Pakistan’s judicial and military structures.

Among the reforms, the Chief of Army Staff will now simultaneously serve as the Chief of Defence Forces, becoming the central command authority of the armed forces. Military ranks such as Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet are now lifetime titles.

Another significant change is the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). The new court will feature equal representation from all provinces and will have the authority to take up cases suo motu. The amendment also gives the president and prime minister more involvement in judicial appointments while reducing certain powers of the Supreme Court and transferring some responsibilities to the FCC.

Sanaullah also addressed the recent resignations of two Supreme Court judges and one Lahore High Court judge, asserting that parliament has the constitutional authority to pass amendments. He added that judges, having sworn to uphold the Constitution, should not engage in political protests. “Those who stepped down did so due to their personal motives,” he said.

The resignations came in response to the 27th Amendment. Supreme Court judges Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah resigned, describing the amendment as a “grave assault on the Constitution of Pakistan.” Two days later, LHC judge Shams Mehmood Mirza also quit in protest. The federal government dismissed the resignations as political statements and called the judges’ allegations “unconstitutional.”