Amid Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s increasing influence in Pakistan and abroad, Islamabad is planning to amend its constitution, possibly giving more power to its military. The Shehbaz Sharif government has confirmed that it will table the 27th constitutional amendment in Parliament soon, which includes proposed changes related to the command of the armed forces.
Critics fear the move will secure Munir’s iron grip on Pakistan. The South Asian nation struggles with civil-military relations due to the military’s history of direct rule, its pervasive influence over civilian governments, and its role in national security and the economy.
The speculation regarding the tweaks in the Constitution started following a tweet by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that the government approached him for support for the 27th amendment.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday confirmed the reports while speaking in the Senate, the upper house of the Pakistani Parliament.
“Of course, the government is bringing it and will bring it … The 27th Amendment will arrive … and is about to arrive. We will try to table it in accordance with principles, laws and the Constitution,” he said.
Dar also rejected the concerns expressed by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party that the government would try to change the Constitution without following the proper procedure.
“It is not the case that the amendment is tabled and there is voting on it in a haphazard, ad hoc manner; this will not happen,” he reassured.
What Are The Proposed Amendments?
According to Pakistani media reports, the proposed changes under the 27th Amendment include an alteration to the Constitution’s Article 243, which governs the appointment of the Army Chief and command of armed forces.
The proposal also reportedly included setting up constitutional courts, streamlining the process for the appointment of the chief election commissioner, restoring executive magistrates and the matter of the transfer of judges.
It further proposes to reduce the share of provinces in the federal resources and shift control of the ministries of education and population welfare from provinces to the federal government and end the protection for the provincial share under the National Finance Commission.
Criticism of The Move
Quoting former Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Express Tribune reported that the amendment seeks to introduce a new Commander-in-Chief position, effectively restructuring Pakistan’s civil-military hierarchy.
“This move would completely alter the country’s infrastructure… Are you handing over the country to someone else? What happened to the idea of civilian supremacy? This amendment would place civilian institutions under the establishment, shaking the nation’s foundations,” Khokhar said.
Leading politician and PPP Senator Raza Rabbani also said that the move will damage the provincial autonomy and “undo the good work of the 18th amendment”.
He was referring to the amendment passed in 2010 due to his efforts, which devolved powers to the federating units and considerably increased the powers of the provinces.
The government needs to pass the amendment with a two-thirds majority separately in the Senate and the National Assembly (NA). It enjoys the required number in the 336-member NA, having the support of 233 members.
But in the 96-member Senate, it has just 61 members and will need at least three opposition members to get the required two-thirds majority. It may get the support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl, led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
However, PTI leader Hamid Khan said that his party will oppose the amendment and try to foil the government’s effort to destroy the constitution.
Munir’s Rise
Chief of Army Staff, Munir, was made Field Marshal following India’s Operation Sindoor in May. Since then, he has been working to cement his hold on Pakistan’s political hierarchy. He has been part of several global delegations and has received high praise from US President Donald Trump for his role during trade deal negotiations with Pakistan.