Pakistan’s parliament has passed a controversial constitutional amendment that significantly expands the powers of the military establishment while diminishing the authority of the judiciary.

This formally elevates Army Chief General Asim Munir to the newly created position of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), making him the constitutional head of Pakistan’s army, navy, and air force.

The 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill was adopted in the National Assembly with an overwhelming majority of 234 votes in favour, against only four dissenting. The Senate had earlier cleared the bill without opposition, as opposition benches abstained from participating. The legislation is now scheduled to be returned to the Senate for minor adjustments before being presented to President Asif Ali Zardari for final assent.

The amendment grants life-long legal immunity to the army chief and institutional recognition to the armed forces, ensuring their insulation from future judicial scrutiny. General Asim Munir, already one of Pakistan’s most powerful figures, now assumes a consolidated role covering the entire defence apparatus. The bill also preserves honorary ranks such as Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet as lifetime titles for serving or retired chiefs.

A central feature of the amendment is the creation of a new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) that will assume jurisdiction over constitutional and political matters. This change effectively curtails the role of Pakistan’s Supreme Court, which in recent years has played an assertive role by annulling government decisions and disqualifying elected leaders. The judges of the FCC will be appointed directly by the government, raising concerns over separation of powers and judicial independence.

Under the new legal framework, the title of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) remains intact for the current holder. However, future appointments will redefine the CJP’s office as belonging to the senior-most judge among the heads of both the Supreme Court and the FCC. Furthermore, the new court is barred from hearing or ratifying acts of high treason, a clause that critics say effectively protects the military and state institutions from legal accountability.

The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, boycotted the vote and staged a walkout. PTI lawmakers tore up copies of the bill inside the Assembly, denouncing it as an assault on democracy.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan accused the government of secretly inserting clauses into Article 260, expanding definitions without due deliberation or debate, and declared that the government had “sunk the ship of democracy and judicial independence.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif defended the amendment, describing its passage as an act of “national unity and institutional cooperation.” Government ministers maintained that the changes strengthen constitutional harmony and prevent judicial overreach in matters of governance and national security.

Political analysts view the development as the most significant constitutional restructuring in Pakistan’s recent history—one that formalises the military’s dominance over civilian institutions. Observers warn that while the move may ensure stability in the short term, it risks consolidating autocratic control and diminishing prospects for democratic reform in the long run.

Based On ANI Report