Islamabad: In a bold move to fortify its armed forces amid lingering shadows of conflict with India, Pakistan has tabled the 27th constitutional amendment in the Senate, paving the way for Field Marshal Asim Munir to assume unprecedented authority as Commander of Defence Forces (CDF).
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, presenting the bill, invoked “valuable lessons” from recent Indo-Pak tensions, arguing that modern warfare demands a constitutionally enshrined military structure. Key proposals include granting constitutional rank to the Field Marshal — elevating it beyond a ceremonial title — and creating the CDF post, granting supreme oversight of the army, navy, and air force. Speculation runs rife that Munir, elevated to Field Marshal just days after the May 10 ceasefire, will helm this role, potentially curtailing the President and Prime Minister’s sway over defence matters.
The catalyst? India’s Operation Sindoor on May 7, which targeted terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), eliminated over 100 militants and dismantled bases of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes followed, but the swift truce underscored vulnerabilities, prompting Munir’s historic promotion — the second since Ayub Khan’s in 1959.
If enacted, the amendment could extend Munir’s tenure indefinitely, centralise ministries under federal control, and erode provincial autonomy, critics warn. Legal experts, as reported by Dawn, decry the need for constitutional tweaks when ordinary laws suffice, viewing it as a veiled bid to amplify military dominance. Political circles buzz with fears of the army reclaiming the reins of power, echoing Pakistan’s chequered civil-military history.
As the bill advances, it signals a seismic shift: from lessons learnt to legions unleashed, reshaping the nation’s power paradigm.