Leila Khan
For too long, Pakistan has functioned like a confederation pretending to be a federation. Each province works as a power enclave, collecting, spending, and legislating with little regard for national coherence. From education curricula to revenue collection, and from resource management to identity politics, every provincial government has become a self-contained kingdom whose first loyalty is not to Pakistan, but to its own electables and ethnic base. The 27th Amendment seeks to correct this imbalance, not to weaken provinces, but to restore the federation’s ability to govern as one nation.
At its heart, the amendment recognises what our current structure has failed to deliver: unity without central strength is an illusion. The idea that every province can set its own syllabus, define its own history, and control its own revenue stream has only created four different versions of Pakistan. The federal government must have the constitutional ability to regulate core national functions, education, taxation, defence, and strategic planning, because the business of nation-building cannot be outsourced to provincial politics.
The 18th Amendment, passed with good intentions, devolved power to the point of dysfunction. It stripped the federation of critical oversight in areas like health, education, and planning, leaving Islamabad with responsibility but no authority. The 27th Amendment does not undo devolution; it refines it. By re-examining Articles 160 and 243, it ensures that when the state acts, it does so with coherence, not confusion. It reinforces the idea that the federation, not the provinces, must decide the direction of the country’s strategic, fiscal, and security priorities.
One of the most important provisions is the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court. This move will end the paralysis of endless jurisdictional battles between the Supreme Court and High Courts. It will allow constitutional questions, those that decide the fate of provinces, elections, and national security, to be settled by a specialised bench insulated from political cases. A country that faces constant constitutional crises cannot afford interpretive chaos. Pakistan needs clarity, not a courtroom tug-of-war.
The amendment also addresses a long-neglected truth: the command of the armed forces must reflect national coherence. By restructuring Article 243 and introducing the concept of a Chief of Defence Forces, the proposed reform simplifies the chain of command and formalises what is already a functional reality. Critics call it centralisation of power, but it must be recognised as institutional rationalisation. A country facing internal terrorism, external threats, and nuclear responsibilities cannot afford overlapping military hierarchies. Command must be singular, accountable, and constitutionally defined.
On the civilian side, the revision of federal-provincial fiscal relations is equally vital. Pakistan’s revenue system has become hostage to provincial politics, where each government collects and spends without transparency. The 27th Amendment seeks to ensure that national taxation, planning, and resource allocation are guided by federal principles, not local populism. Economic sovereignty demands fiscal unity, something no country can achieve when four provinces operate four separate economic agendas.
Equally significant is the proposed restriction on dual nationality. For years, we have seen the hypocrisy of those who earn here, rule here, and run the system here but spend, invest, and secure citizenship elsewhere. They hold foreign passports as insurance policies while enjoying every privilege of Pakistani citizenship. No country can tolerate such divided loyalties. If one wishes to serve Pakistan, one must belong to Pakistan.
Predictably, political parties rooted in provincial politics may oppose these reforms. They argue that the amendment undermines autonomy, but in truth, it challenges their monopoly. Their resistance is not about constitutional principles; it is about political survival. Provincial leaders have learned to sustain themselves by keeping their politics local, winning votes through provincial identity, not national vision. Their objection to the amendment is an objection to national coherence itself. The question before us is simple: can a nation remain united when every province teaches its own history, collects its own taxes, and operates its own political universe? The answer is self-evident. The 27th Amendment offers a framework for Pakistan to behave like one country again. It aims to create a functional centre that can coordinate national policy without begging for provincial consent at every turn. It does not erase provincial rights; it defines national responsibilities.
For decades, Pakistan’s greatest weakness has been fragmentation: multiple narratives, parallel laws, and competing power centres. The 27th Amendment is not about control; instead, it is about survival. It is the constitutional consolidation this country needs if it wishes to move from perpetual crisis to coherent governance. A stronger centre is not a threat to democracy. In Pakistan, it is the only way to make democracy deliver.
The writer is a former State Minister for Education and Professional Training, former Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and Director at Media Times.
