National Assembly approves changes to armed forces’ acts

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has approved amendments to the laws related to the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force soon after the government presented them.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif introduced the “Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Bill 2025”, the “Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill 2025”, and the “Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill 2025”, all of which were passed with a majority vote.

At the same time, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025, which was also approved by the House.

Tarar said that all four bills were passed within just nine minutes and that there was no debate on them. He explained that the purpose of these amendments was to bring the existing laws in line with the recently approved “27th Constitutional Amendment Act.”

“These are not new laws. These are amendments to the present laws,” he clarified.

Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari has given assent to the much-debated 27th Constitutional Amendment after Parliament approved it. With his signature, the amendment has officially become part of the Constitution.

The development came hours after the Senate approved the amendment bill following changes made by the National Assembly a day earlier, amid protests by the opposition.

Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the amendment bill with the tweaks approved by the upper house. The bill received 64 votes in favour and four against in the 96-member Senate, reaching the required two-thirds majority.