Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced its firm opposition to the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, denouncing it as an attempt to roll back the powers granted to provinces under the landmark 18th Amendment.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament House, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the party would “resist any attempt that weakens the constitutional autonomy of provinces.” He described the proposed amendment as a “robbery of provincial rights,” emphasizing that PTI would not compromise on the principles of federal balance and democratic decentralization.
According to details, the proposed 27th Amendment — introduced by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — seeks to establish a Constitutional Court, amend Article 243 concerning the supreme command of the armed forces, revise the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, and reintroduce executive magistrates. It also includes provisions related to the transfer of judges and adjustments affecting provincial revenue shares.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar confirmed that the government was in consultations with coalition partners, including the PPP, MQM-P, ANP, and BAP, before finalizing the draft. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also acknowledged that the proposal carried major constitutional implications requiring detailed review.
Criticizing the move, CM Afridi asserted that the federal government still owed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa billions under the NFC Award. “KP’s rightful share of 19.4% — worth over Rs7.5 billion — must be released immediately. The sacrifices of this province for Pakistan’s security and development deserve recognition, not neglect,” he said.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also rejected the amendment on the National Assembly floor, warning that such constitutional overreach could destabilize the federation. “The 18th Amendment was a hard-earned consensus among all political parties. The proposed changes disturb that balance and risk dividing institutions,” he said, adding that the NFC Award must remain untouched to preserve provincial financial autonomy.
Gohar further warned that no government should attempt to introduce legislation that “deepens judicial divisions or centralizes power at the Centre.”
Separately, PTI lawmakers submitted a resolution in the National Assembly demanding permission for the KP Chief Minister to meet party founder Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated in Adiala Jail. The resolution, signed by 34 MNAs, termed the meeting a democratic necessity for consultation with the party’s leadership.
CM Afridi told reporters that he had sought the meeting multiple times but was denied access, forcing him to approach both the courts and Parliament. “We are pursuing this matter through constitutional and democratic means,” he said.
PTI leaders reaffirmed that their struggle would continue for the protection of provincial autonomy and the preservation of Pakistan’s federal structure.
