The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), a multi-party opposition alliance, has launched a nationwide protest movement against the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, just hours after the government tabled it in the Senate. “Democratic institutions in Pakistan have been paralysed… the nation must rise against the [proposed] 27th Amendment,” said Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas in a statement. He added that the government was attempting to concentrate “even more power” in the hands of the already “powerful” through the constitutional changes. Apart from MWM, the alliance includes Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). PkMAP Chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai announced that the nationwide protests would begin Sunday night, stating: “From tomorrow night, our slogans will be: ‘Long live democracy, down with dictatorship.’ Our third slogan will call for the release of political prisoners.” He emphasised that the movement aims to demonstrate that the will of the people will remain the ultimate authority. Achakzai also underlined the Constitution’s central role for both the state and its citizens, asserting that TTAP will ensure it remains supreme. The opposition alliance claimed that the government’s proposed amendments are “shaking the foundations of the Constitution” and said it had no choice but to mobilise public protests in response. The announcement comes shortly after the federal government presented the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the Senate, seeking sweeping changes to military and judicial structures. The proposed amendment — initiated by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with the support of most of its allies — was tabled in the Senate and sent to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice for discussion. The amendment proposes a change in Article 243, seeking to abolish the “Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee” (CJCSC) position and introduce a new title, “Chief of Defence Forces”. Other proposals include the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court and revisions to the process of appointing high court judges. The proposed amendment also aims to reduce the powers of the Supreme Court, with some authorities shifted to the proposed Constitutional Court, and immunity to the president from criminal proceedings for life.
Opposition Alliance Launches Nationwide Protests Against 27th Constitutional Amendment
