Pakistan parliamentary committees to resume debate on Field Marshal status under 27th Amendment today

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 9 (ANI): Pakistan's parliamentary committees on Law and Justice are set to resume deliberations on Sunday over the constitutional status of the Field Marshal under Article 243, as discussions on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill continue, Dawn reported.
The matter was deferred on Saturday after the joint session of Pakistan's National Assembly (NA) and Senate standing committees cleared nearly 80 per cent of the draft, including most provisions related to judicial reforms.
According to Dawn, the joint sitting, chaired by Senator Farooq H Naek, examined several key clauses of the amendment bill, which seeks wide-ranging constitutional changes.
Despite a boycott by two Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) members--Senator Kamran Murtaza and Member of NA Aliya Kamran--the committees continued their proceedings and made substantial progress.

According to lawmakers present, most clauses of the judicial reforms package were approved, while the remaining issues, particularly those concerning Article 243 and the status of a Field Marshal, will be taken up in the next sitting today, as reported by Dawn.
The JUI-F members walked out of the meeting, accusing the government of reintroducing provisions previously discarded during deliberations on the 26th Amendment. They described the move as a "breach of trust".
During the session, the committees also reviewed the proposal to establish a Federal Constitutional Court, agreeing that its initial strength would be determined through a presidential order, while any future expansion would require parliamentary legislation.
The panels are also considering a new mechanism for the transfer of high court judges through the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP)--a process that may no longer require the consent of the judges being transferred, as reported by Dawn.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Senator Naek said that despite the walkout, the committees had reached consensus on most points and resolved several ambiguities.
"After their departure, the meeting continued. Around 80 per cent of the proposed amendments have been examined. The committee addressed the reservations raised by some members, developed consensus on most points, and resolved ambiguities on several issues," he said, as quoted by Dawn.
Pakistan's Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar described the 27th Amendment as a "long-awaited and comprehensive reform package", adding that all parliamentary parties were contributing to the process. He said the government had invited opposition lawmakers to engage "constructively" in finalising the draft.
"At the time of the 18th Amendment, this issue was part of the broader constitutional agenda. It resurfaced during the 26th Amendment but could not materialise due to certain political and procedural considerations," the minister said, as quoted by Dawn.
The joint committees are expected to conclude discussions on the pending clauses, including the field marshal's constitutional position, in their next session today. (ANI)