ISLAMABAD, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday gave his assent to the 27th Constitutional Amendment, formally enacting the bill into law, with changes to key articles, the President's House said.
The amendment made a series of consequential changes to the constitution concerning the judiciary and key constitutional offices, including the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court, according to the constitutional draft present on the parliament's website.
The amendment also defined judicial seniority, reinforced Article 6 to block constitutional abrogation, preserve oath-taking structure and institutional continuity, and strengthen separation of constitutional and general appellate jurisdictions.
The Senate and the National Assembly, the upper and the lower houses of the country's parliament, respectively, passed the amendment bill with a two-thirds majority earlier this week.
Amendments made in Article 243 of the Constitution have renamed the top rank in the Pakistan Army to "the Chief of the Army Staff concurrently Chief of the Defense Forces."
According to the amendment, the office of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the top rank in Pakistan's armed forces, would stand abolished with effect from Nov. 27, 2025.
According to the changes in Article 243 and Article 248, no process for the arrest or imprisonment of the President, Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, Admiral of the Fleet for their life.
The amendment to Article 243 also states that, once appointed, a Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, or Admiral of the Fleet shall retain the rank, privileges, and remain in uniform for life.
Following the presidential assent, the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court is expected to be formally realized, with the president likely to administer the oath to the court's first chief justice in the coming days, according to officials.
The 27th Amendment follows the 26th Amendment of 2024 and marks one of the most significant judicial restructurings in Pakistan's constitutional history, aiming to enhance constitutional adjudication and strengthen institutional checks against unconstitutional acts. ■