PPP stalwarts wary of 27th Amendment

• PPP Sindh president says unilateral changes to Constitution not acceptable, throws weight behind 18th Amendment
• Rabbani says recalling the financial devolution against scheme of participatory federalism
• PTI leader calls for consensus before any constitutional tweaks, says it’s akin to abolishing Constitution; JI chief warns against its ramifications for judiciary

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: After the government approached the PPP to seek its support for the 27th Ame­ndment, the key party leaders have come out against the proposed constitutional tweaks that are said to be an attempt to roll back the landmark 18th Amendment that ensured provincial autonomy.

The opposition to the proposal came as the PPP’s central executive committee (CEC) is set to meet on November 6 to review the government proposal after a PML-N delegation led by the prime minister had sought the party’s support for the proposed 27th Amendment.

The early indications suggest that backing the move may not be easy for the party, as dissenting voices have already begun to surface from within its own ranks. Senator Raza Rabbani feared that the wrapping up of the 18th Amendment would lead to extraconstitutional activities in the country.

In a statement, Senator Rabbani said the proposed constitutional amen­dments of the government, with reference to provincial autonomy, amount to a rollback of the 18th Amendment.

“In the brittle internal political situation, playing with provincial autonomy will cast deep shadows over the federation,” he said, adding, “The 18th Amendment disarmed the extreme nationalists of a political discourse; such an amendment will lend vigour to their extra-constitutional activities.”

Mr Rabbani said that revisiting devolved ministries will be a financial burden on the federal government. Recalling the financial devolution, he said, will be against the scheme of participatory federalism.

“If the federal government is unable to manage its finances, then let the provinces collect all the taxes and look after federal expenditures through the Council of Common Interests,” he added.

Nisar Khuhro, the president of the PPP’s Sindh chapter, made it clear that “the party firmly opposes any attempt to roll back the 18th Consti­tutional Amendment”.

“Unilateral changes to the Consti­tution would not be acceptable,” he said while addressing a press conference in Karachi. “The 18th Amendment was passed unanimously through consensus among all political parties after deliberations by a national committee — a consensus that even dictators could not undo. The PPP is categorically against any rollback of the 18th Amendment.”

Mr Khuhro said the matter would be taken up in detail at the PPP’s CEC meeting, where the party would decide its final position on the issue. Meanwhile, PTI leaders alleged that the details of the 27th Amendment, shared by the PPP chairman, were similar to abolishing the Constitution.

“Although we will give a formal response…after meeting founding chairman Imran Khan and discussing it in the meeting of the political committee, I suggest the amendment should be made with consensus in light of the current situation in Pakistan,” Barrister Gohar Ali Khan told reporters outside Adiala.

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman criticising the proposed amendment said these moves were aimed at establishing governmental control over the judiciary.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the 26th Constitutional Amen­­dment gave a serious blow to the judiciary, whereas the proposed 27th Amendment was aimed at establishing the executive’s dominance over courts.

Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in media, November 5th, 2025