The National Assembly on Thursday passed major amendment bills related to the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy, alongside changes to the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act.
The session saw active participation from government benches as ministers presented a series of legislative updates not linked to the recently approved 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The National Assembly approved the Pakistan Army Act Amendment Bill, the Pakistan Air Force Act 1953 amendment, and the Pakistan Navy Act Amendment Bill 2025. All three bills were presented by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
Members of the House welcomed the prime minister with applause as he arrived, adding to the momentum of the day’s legislative activity.
SC Practice and Procedure amendment bill approved
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar presented the updated Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023 amendment bill, which was subsequently passed.
Also Read: Senate approves 27th Amendment amid fierce opp protests, walkouts
Tarar clarified that the new set of bills passed during the session did not amend the laws related to the 27th Constitutional Amendment, differentiating them from the constitutional alignment legislation approved earlier by the federal cabinet.
Asif tables further updates to armed forces laws
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also introduced a bill to further amend the Pakistan Army Act 1952, followed by another bill amending the Pakistan Air Force Act 1953. The amendment bill for the Pakistan Navy Act was also formally presented.
These bills were tabled for approval as part of ongoing efforts to update and harmonize defence legislation.
Speaking on the changes, Law Minister Tarar said the updated law clearly defines the chief of defense’s term as five years from the date of appointment.
He added that certain revisions have also been made to the Air Force and Navy laws to reflect modern administrative requirements.
Also Read: Cabinet approves changes to Army, Air Force, Navy Acts among 6 laws
Tarar further stated that amendments related to appointments in the newly proposed court have been approved in accordance with the Constitution, and that the first appointment will be that of the chief justice.
Toward the end of the session, the National Assembly also approved legislation pertaining to Article 234, completing the day’s extensive legislative agenda.
Minutes ago, a special meeting of the federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Parliament House, reconfirmed changes to the 27th Constitutional Amendment. An official announcement stated that the session also approved key legal amendments and cleared the way for new legislation related to the Federal Constitutional Court.
According to officials, the federal cabinet convened in a special session held inside Parliament House. At the start of the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met all ministers individually. He thanked cabinet members for their support in approving the 27th Amendment. In response, ministers congratulated him on the successful passage of the amendment.
Re-approval of changes to 27th Amendment
The re-approval of changes made to the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill was a key item on the cabinet’s agenda.
Sources confirmed that after the amendment's approval, the government has now cleared corresponding changes to relevant laws to ensure full legal alignment with the new constitutional framework.
Also Read: President Zardari signs 27th Amendment into law
Sources revealed that the federal cabinet approved amendments to six laws in connection with the 27th Constitutional Amendment. These legal updates are aimed at harmonizing federal statutes with the newly amended constitutional provisions.
Changes to Army, Air Force, Navy Acts approved
The federal cabinet also approved amendments to the Pakistan Army Act, the Pakistan Air Force Act, and the Pakistan Navy Act. These changes are intended to align the laws governing Pakistan’s armed forces with the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The legislation has been updated in accordance with the revisions made to Article 243 of the Constitution, which now also covers the tenure of the Chief of Defence Forces.
Under the new amendments, the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will be abolished after the retirement of the current chairman.
Additionally, the ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet have been incorporated into the relevant laws.
According to officials, these reforms and legislative changes have been proposed to meet contemporary needs and reflect the requirements of modern warfare.
