By Asif Naveed
ISLAMABAD; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday denounced the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it an “attack on the House” and vowing that his party would continue to oppose it both inside and outside the Parliament.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Gohar Ali Khan said that when the 26th Amendment was tabled, PTI had cooperated with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
“Perhaps this time, we will not go to his house or sit in your committee,” he said, addressing the deputy speaker. “We will raise our voice because this is an attack on Parliament.”
The PTI chairman stated that any constitutional amendment should be brought through national consensus and aligned with the country’s democratic needs.
“This 27th Amendment goes against the spirit of the Constitution and the House,” he asserted. “At a time when the nation is already divided, terrorism is on the rise, and the economy is under strain, we should avoid creating further instability.”
Gohar also urged the government to respect the historical precedent set by the 18th Amendment, which was passed with “unity and consensus.” He said that when the 26th Amendment was introduced, several proposals—such as altering the structure of the constitutional bench, the tenure of judges, and provisions related to the Election Commission—were strongly opposed by PTI.
He added that “people’s trust in democracy and the judiciary is fragile,” and cautioned against pushing amendments that could further deepen the crisis.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari revealed that the proposed 27th Amendment includes significant constitutional changes, such as the creation of constitutional courts, restoration of executive magistrates, changes to Article 243 (regarding command of the armed forces), and removal of protection for provincial shares under the National Finance Commission (NFC).
PTI Resolution for CM Afridi-Imran Khan Meeting
In a related development, PTI lawmakers submitted a resolution in the National Assembly demanding that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi be allowed to meet with PTI founder Imran Khan.
The resolution stated that consultation between elected representatives and their political leadership is a cornerstone of parliamentary democracy. It argued that as Imran remains the head of the largest political party in the KP Assembly, the chief minister must have the right to consult him on matters of governance and policy.
Calling the repeated denial of such meetings a “violation of democratic norms,” the resolution urged the federal and Punjab governments to implement Islamabad High Court’s orders in letter and spirit.
“This meeting would constitute an official and legitimate consultation between the Chief Executive of the Province and the leader of the largest parliamentary party,” the resolution read.
CM Sohail Afridi has been denied meetings with Imran Khan four times since taking office in October. He has said that consultation with the party founder is essential before finalising his provincial cabinet.
