While the current proposal to amend the Constitution may be titled the 27th Amendment, it will in fact be the twenty-fourth amendment to the Constitution of 1973 upon its enactment after approval from both Houses of Parliament and assent by the President. The so-called ninth, eleventh and fifteenth amendments never made it to the finishing line.

With the passage of this amendment, the Nawaz Sharif-led faction of Pakistan Muslim League will become the party to have supervised the highest number of constitutional amendments during its tenures in federal government. The distinction was previously held by the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Which party made how many amendments?

Of the 24 enacted constitutional amendments since 1973, ten were passed under Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) governments. The first seven were enacted during the tenure of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto between 1974 and 1977, while three were passed under Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani between 2008 and 2012.

The Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) equaled this record when it successfully led the passage 26th Amendment in 2024. After the enactment of 27th amendment, PML-N will surpass the PPP’s score. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif oversaw seven constitutional amendments during his three terms in office—one in his first term (1990–1993), three in his second term (1997–1999), and three in his third term (2013–2017). His successor, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, led two constitutional amendments during his ten-month tenure from 2017 to 2018. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has since overseen the 26th and 27th amendments.

Earlier, the quasi-military government led by Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, under President General Zia-ul-Haq, enacted two constitutional amendments. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, serving under General Pervez Musharraf, supervised one amendment during his tenure.

What is a constitutional amendment?

Constitutions are often described as living documents as they change with time. Under the Constitution of 1973, it may be amended through a formal legislative process defined in Article 239.

The amendment process works as following:

  • Proposal: An amendment bill is introduced in either the National Assembly or the Senate
  • Approval: It must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament after mandatory readings
  • Presidential Assent: After parliamentary approval, the President signs it into law
  • Once assented by the President, it becomes part of the Constitution

List of All Enacted Constitutional Amendments Since 1973

Sr. No. Title of Constitutional Amendment Date of Enactment Prime Minister
1 The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1974 May 4, 1974 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
2 The Constitution (Second Amendment) Act, 1974 September 17, 1974 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
3 The Constitution (Third Amendment) Act, 1975 February 13, 1975 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
4 The Constitution (Fourth Amendment) Act, 1975 November 21, 1975 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
5 The Constitution (Fifth Amendment) Act, 1976 September 13, 1976 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
6 The Constitution (Sixth Amendment) Act, 1976 December 31, 1976 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
7 The Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1977 May 13, 1977 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
8 The Constitution (Eighth (Amendment) Act, 1985 November 9, 1985 Muhammad Khan Junejo
9 The Constitution (Tenth Amendment) Act, 1987 March 25, 1987 Muhammad Khan Junejo
10 The Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Act, 1991 July 27, 1991 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
11 The Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Act, 1997 April 3, 1997 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
12 The Constitution (Fourteenth Amendment) Act, 1997 July 3, 1997 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
13 The Constitution (Sixteenth Amendment) Act, 1999 August 3, 1999 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
14 The Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Act, 2003 December 31, 2003 Shaukat Aziz
15 The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 April 19, 2010 Yousaf Raza Gillani
16 The Constitution (Nineteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 January 1, 2011 Yousaf Raza Gillani
17 The Constitution (Twentieth Amendment) Act, 2012 February 28, 2012 Yousaf Raza Gillani
18 The Constitution (Twenty-first Amendment) Act, 2015 January 7, 2015 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
19 The Constitution (Twenty-second Amendment) Act, 2016 June 8, 2016 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
20 The Constitution (Twenty-third Amendment) Act, 2017 March 30, 2017 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
21 The Constitution (Twenty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2017 December 22, 2017 Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
22 The Constitution (Twenty-fifth Amendment) Act, 2018 May 31, 2018 Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
23 The Constitution (Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Act, 2019 October 21, 2024 Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif