27th Constitutional Amendment Presented in Senate: Federal Constitutional Court, New ‘Chief of Defence Forces’ Post, and Major Judicial Changes Proposed

Islamabad: The **27th Constitutional Amendment (Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2025)** has been presented in the Senate, proposing the establishment of a **Federal Constitutional Court**, a restructuring of the military hierarchy, and a major redistribution of judicial powers.

Under the amendment, references to the **Supreme Court** in various articles of the Constitution will be replaced with **Federal Constitutional Court**, making the new court the primary authority for constitutional matters and fundamental rights cases. The Supreme Court will thereafter function solely as an appellate court.

The amendment introduces a new **Chapter 1A**, which outlines the formation of the Federal Constitutional Court. The court will be headed by a **Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court** and will have equal representation from all four provinces. The Chief Justice’s tenure will be **three years**, and judges will retire at **68 years of age**. Decisions of the Federal Constitutional Court will be binding on all other courts.

Significant changes are also proposed to **Article 243**, including the creation of a **‘Chief of Defence Forces’** post for the Army Chief and the abolition of the **Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee**. Titles such as **Field Marshal**, **Marshal of the Air Force**, and **Admiral of the Fleet** will be designated as **national heroes**, granting them lifetime privileges.

The amendment also introduces a new system for judicial appointments, giving the **Prime Minister and President** key roles, while ensuring a collaborative process for appointing Chief Justices of the Federal Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court.