Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central leader Asad Qaiser has warned that tampering with the Constitution amid the country's fragile political climate is akin to "playing with fire," as the party intensifies its opposition to the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment. In a strongly worded statement shared via tweet on X, Qaiser detailed outcomes from a high-level PTI meeting chaired by Mahmood Khan Achakzai.  The session thoroughly examined the amendment and referenced points raised in a recent tweet by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Participants unanimously condemned the proposal as "poison for the countryís system," arguing that advancing it through an "unrepresentative" National Assembly and Senateólacking even opposition leadersówould be reckless and inflammatory. "The production of an unrepresentative Form 47 by the Assembly and Senate, in which even the opposition leaders are not present, and tampering with the Constitution through this Assembly is like playing with fire in the current delicate political situation of Pakistan," the meeting's resolution stated, as quoted by Qaiser. 

The PTI resolved to protest the government's alleged efforts to "convert the Constitution of Pakistan into the PDM manifesto" at  every level and forum. The party announced plans to organize a national conference to rally support and pledged to thwart what it described as the government's "grand plan" through meaningful engagement with all sections of society, including civil society.In a parallel development, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for several prominent PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, and Ali Nawaz Awan.  

The court directed authorities to arrest and produce the leaders before it on November 11. Judge Tahir Abbas Supra presided over the case, which stems from charges filed at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station. The accused face allegations of terrorism, sedition, and acts against public order.The warrants come amid escalating tensions between the PTI and the ruling coalition, with the party accusing the government of using legal mechanisms to suppress dissent. PTI leaders have yet to respond publicly to the court order, but the move is likely to fuel further political unrest.

The proposed 27th Amendment has emerged as a flashpoint in Pakistan's polarized landscape, with opposition forces uniting against perceived attempts to alter judicial and constitutional frameworks. As protests loom, analysts warn of heightened instability if the government presses ahead without broader consensus.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)