Pakistan's Constitutional Coup: How Military Power Became Permanent Law

Supporters of the bill have claimed that it will end years of fragmented coordination and lead to a coherent defence structure. The Pakistani government has insisted that Pakistan, by removing inter-service rivalries and streamlining decision-making, will be better positioned to address external threats, a report in Sri Lanka Guardian detailed. However, critics have warned that the amendment is a calculated move to formalise military's political supremacy under constitutional framework.

Opposition parties, lawyers' bodies and civilian groups have denounced it as "person specific", aimed to perpetuate Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's authority and protect the establishment from judicial or parliamentary scrutiny. The ruling coalition's support for the bill's passage showcases civilian leadership's reliance on the armed forces.

"Pakistan's 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, passed on November 8, 2025, marks a decisive transformation in the country's power structure, formally entrenching the military's dominance within the constitutional framework. The amendment establishes the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), unifying command over the Army, Navy, and Air Force, while abolishing the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Though presented as a measure to enhance operational efficiency and inter-service coordination, it effectively institutionalises military supremacy, further eroding civilian control over national security and foreign policy," the Sri Lanka Guardian report mentioned.

"At the centre of this transformation stands the Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, set to become the first CDF. By amending Article 243, the legislation grants him lifelong privileges, retention of rank, and immunity comparable to that of the President. Consolidating operational command, strategic oversight, and control over nuclear and intelligence assets in a single office, the amendment cements the Army Chief's primacy within the state apparatus. The creation of a Commander of the National Strategic Command, appointed on the CDF's recommendation, further strengthens this concentration of authority and centralises the military chain of command," it added.

The amendment showcases a further regression in Pakistan's democratic evolution and formalises the military's position as the supreme arbiter of state policy. The judiciary and parliament in Pakistan are marginalised while opposition parties face an environment shaped by military oversight and selective implementation, as per the report.

"The 27th Amendment completes Pakistan's transition to a system where the Army is both guardian and governor, hollowing out democratic institutions and embedding militarisation within the constitutional order. The military's domestic consolidation and regional assertiveness will shape South Asia's strategic landscape, reinforcing the reality that Pakistan's generals, not its politicians, remain the ultimate arbiters of national destiny. With the addition of more Baloch activists into the Fourth Schedule list, the Pakistan establishment is trying to solve the Baloch crisis with extreme repression. Given the present state of the rising Baloch insurgency, this latest move can only fuel further bloodshed," the report in leading Lankan media outlet emphasised.

- IANS